# The history of noise pollution

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<summary>6th century BCE</summary>

First known noise ordinance: The council of the province of Sybaris, a Greek colony in the Aegean, rules that potters, tinsmiths, and other tradesmen must live outside the city walls because of the noise they make. They ban roosters, too.

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<summary>5th century BCE</summary>

Hippocrates is the first clearly to identify tinnitus- the ringing in the ears often caused by prolonged exposure to noise.

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<summary>44 BCE</summary>

Julius Caesar rules that ‘no one shall drive a wagon along the streets of Rome or along those streets in the suburbs where there is continuous housing after sunrise or before the tenth hour of the night<br>

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<summary>15th century</summary>

First references to London as a noisy city.

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<summary>1595</summary>

London bye-law forbids any "suddaine out-cry... in the still of the Night, as making any affray, or beating his Wife, or servant, or singing, or revelling in his house, to the Disturbaunce of his neighbours."

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<summary>1660s</summary>

The megaphone is invented almost simultaneously by Samuel Morland in England and Athanasius Kircher in Germany

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<summary>1713</summary>

Bernadini Ramazzini, an Italian physician, ascribes the cause of the deafness of Venetian coppersmiths to their trade - the first such link to be published.

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<summary>1717</summary>

Church of St Mary-le-Strand completed in London. To exclude street noise, it has no ground-floor windows.

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<summary>1770s</summary>

James Watt's steam-engine is a significant improvement on its predecessor, accelerating the industrial revolution, which in turn brings about the most significant increases in noise in history.

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<summary>1831</summary>

First authoritative reference to noise as a health problem: Dr John Fosbroke, writing in the Lancet, states that ‘blacksmiths’ deafness is a consequence of employment’

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<summary>1864</summary>

Following a prolonged campaign by London intellectuals including Charles Babbage, Charles Dickens and the MP Michael Bass,  the Act for the Better Regulation of Street Music in the Metropolis become law.

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<summary>1886</summary>

First quantitative study of noise induced hearing loss, by Dr Thomas Barr. He studies the loss of hearing in Glaswegian boiler-makers. On average, they can hear quiet sounds at just one-tenth the distance at which those with normal hearing can.

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<summary>1890s</summary>

The world’s first Society for the Suppression of Noise is formed in London. Its principal target is the newly-invented motor horn.

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<summary>1920s</summary>

The decibel is developed

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<summary>1950s</summary>

Jet planes proliferate, adding a significant new noise source to the world.

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<summary>1957</summary>

The Chicago Zoning Ordinance is the first noise ordinance in the world to specify maximum noise levels.

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<summary>1960</summary>

John Connell's Noise Abatement Society succeeds in having noise accepted as statutory nuisance for the first time (through the Noise Abatement Act)

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<summary>1969</summary>

UNESCO’s International Music Council declares ‘the right of everyone to silence, because of the abusive use, in private and public places, of recorded or broadcast music’ ;

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<summary>1975</summary>

Arlien Bronzaft shows that the performance of students is adversely affected by environmental noise

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<summary>1989</summary>

New Noise at Work Regulations introduce an effective  system of ‘action levels', involving both employer and employee in the process of noise projection ;\
\
In Panama US troops use a noise barrage (including Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up") in an attempt to drive General Noriega from the ‘Nuncio’ where he had sought sanctuary

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<summary>2002</summary>

The European Noise Directive requires all member states to construct noise maps of all major conurbations and transportation routes, and to develop action plans.

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<summary>2023</summary>

Silencio becomes a solution for targeting noise pollution world wide with the aim of becoming the biggest citizen science project in the world and improving the quality of life of millions

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Source:&#x20;

Goldsmith, M. (2020). *History of noise*. Mike Goldsmith Acoustics, science writing, environment. Retrieved January 19, 2023, from <https://mikegoldsmith.weebly.com/history-of-noise.html>

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