Report finds Cork city road traffic noise levels above World Health Organisation guidelines

More than half of the population of Cork city are exposed to levels of road traffic noise greater than the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline level.

The data comes from the newly released Ireland’s State of Environment Report 2024 from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which looks at Ireland’s performance in the area of environmental policy implementation across key environmental themes.

The report looks at air quality, examining levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) — the main source of NO2 resulting from human activities is the combustion of fossil fuels, especially fuel used in cars.

The EPA found that levels of NO2 in larger urban centres, including Dublin and Cork, have increased since covid restrictions were lifted, but fortunately annual average levels of NO2 in these zones have not moved back to their full pre-covid levels.

Stringent

However, while the levels found in Cork are below the EU annual limit value, they do not meet the more stringent WHO air quality guideline limits.

The report also examines noise, and found that 54% of the total population living in the urban area of Cork, or 118,700 people, were exposed to road traffic noise above the 53dB WHO guideline level, above which can be associated with adverse health effects.

Some 23,300 Cork city people were exposed to noise levels between 53dB and 54dB, a further 50,200 people were exposed to levels of 55-59, 32,800 levels of 60-64, 1,700 to levels of 70-74, and 300 of levels greater than 75.

The report also looked at nighttime noise level and found that 20,000 people were exposed to noise levels of 50dB-54dB at night, 5,400 exposed to levels of 55-59, 1,900 to levels of 60-64, and 400 to levels of 65-69.

According to WHO guidelines, 17,724 people, or 8.8% of the population of Cork city, can be classified as “highly annoyed” by nighttime noise levels, and a further 3,382, or 1.5%, as “highly sleep disturbed”.

The report notes: “Environmental noise is the second-biggest environmental cause of health problems in the EU. In Ireland, over 1m people are likely to be exposed to noise levels above the mandatory thresholds.

“National policy for environmental noise is not as well advanced as in other environmental areas. There is a need for co-ordinated national policy and actions around planning, health, and transport infrastructure to reduce noise exposure.

“Local authorities, in collaboration with transport infrastructure bodies, need to focus implementation of noise action plans on the priority areas identified using strategic noise mapping.”