The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About20250907 75 Clinton St Area Variance ZBA 7.13.26 Dr. Chris MasonHealth effects of road noise and truck traffic exhaust Dr. Christopher Mason Medical Director, CR Wood Cancer Center Diesel Truck exhaust is carcinogenic U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Comparison of PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀ particle sizes with a human hair and beach sand [Illustration]. https://www.epa.gov/pm- pollution Vehicular exhaust emissions Rönkkö T, Pirjola L, Karjalainen P, Simonen P, Teinilä K, Bloss M, et al. Exhaust particle number and composition for diesel and gasoline passenger cars under transient driving conditions: Real - world emissions down to 1.5 nm. Environmental Pollution. 2023;338:122645 Cancer risk •Traffic related contaminants directly increases the risk of childhood leukemia - acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) •Likely related to benzene exposure, increase in PM (2.5), and NO2 exposure. Filippini T, Hatch EE, Rothman KJ, Heck JE, Park AS, Crippa A, Orsini N, Vinceti M. Association between Outdoor Air Pollution and Childhood Leukemia: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis. Environ Health Perspect. 2019 Apr;127(4):46002. doi: 10.1289/EHP4381. PMID: 31017485; PMCID: PMC6785230. Oh J, Shah S, Min J, Wang S, Lee JH, Kim YJ, Kim B, Spector LG, Landrigan PJ, Yoo ES, Ha E. Prenatal and postnatal exposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) and childhood cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Environ Res. 2026 Mar 1;292:123646. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.123646. Epub 2026 Jan 2. PMID: 41485753. Respiratory complications •Traffic related air pollution (TRAP) causes increases in: •Asthma •Both development and exacerbations •Allergic disease (Eczema, allergic rhinitis, and allergic sensitization) •Respiratory infections •Impaired lung function Keleb A, Abeje ET, Daba C, Endawkie A, Tsega Y, Abere G, Mamaye Y, Bezie AE. The odds of developing asthma and wheeze among children and adolescents exposed to particulate matter: asystematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health. 2025 Mar 31;25(1):1225. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-22382-3. PMID: 40165124; PMCID: PMC11959839. Heather L. Brumberg,Catherine J. Karr,Aparna Bole,Samantha Ahdoot,Sophie J. Balk,Aaron S. Bernstein,Lori G. Byron,Philip J. Landrigan,Steven M. Marcus,Abby L. Nerlinger,Susan E. Pacheco,Alan D. Woolf,Lauren Zajac,Carl R. Baum,Carla C. Campbell,Jennifer A. Sample,Adam J. Spanier,Leonardo Trasande; COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, Ambient Air Pollution: Health Hazards to Children.Pediatrics June 2021; 147 (6): e2021051484. 10.1542/peds.2021-051484 Neurodevelopmental complications •TRAP causes •Increased autism risk •ADHD / hyperactivity disorder •Depression / Anxiety •Reduced cognition and IQ loss •(polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and PM2.5) Heather L. Brumberg,Catherine J. Karr,Aparna Bole,Samantha Ahdoot,Sophie J. Balk,Aaron S. Bernstein,Lori G. Byron,Philip J. Landrigan,Steven M. Marcus,Abby L. Nerlinger,Susan E. Pacheco,Alan D. Woolf,Lauren Zajac,Carl R. Baum,Carla C. Campbell,Jennifer A. Sample,Adam J. Spanier,Leonardo Trasande; COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, Ambient Air Pollution: Health Hazards to Children.Pediatrics June 2021; 147 (6): e2021051484. 10.1542/peds.2021-051484 Perera, Frederica, and Kari Nadeau. "Climate Change, Fossil -Fuel Pollution, and Children's Health." The New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 386, no. 24, 2022, pp. 2303–2314. Road noise complications Example Sound Pressure, dBA Effect From Exposure Breathing 0–10 Threshold of hearing Whisper, rustling leaves 20 Very quiet Quiet rural area at night 30 Library, soft background music 40 Quiet suburb (daytime), conversation in living room 50 Quiet Conversation in restaurant or average office, background music, chirping bird 60 Intrusive Freeway traffic at 15 m, vacuum cleaner, noisy office or party, TV audio 70 Annoying Garbage disposal, clothes washer, average factory, freight train at 15 m, food blender, dishwasher, arcade games 80 Possible hearing damage with sustained exposure Busy urban street, diesel truck 90 Hearing damage with sustained exposure Power lawn mower, personal listening device, motorcycle at 8 m, outboard motor, farm tractor, printing plant, jackhammer, garbage truck, jet takeoff (305 m away), subway 100 Hearing damage with sustained exposure Sports events12 95–104 Hearing damage with sustained exposure Automobile horn at 1 m, steel mill, riveting 110 Hearing damage with sustained exposure Front row at live rock music concert, siren, chain saw, stereo in cars, thunderclap, textile loom, jet takeoff (161 m away) 120 Human pain threshold Earphones at maximum level, armored personnel carrier, jet takeoff (100 m away) 130 Human pain threshold Aircraft carrier deck 140 Human pain threshold Toy cap pistol, firecracker, jet takeoff (25 m away)150 Eardrum rupture dBA indicates decibels weighted by the A scale; m, meters. Sophie J. Balk, Risa E. Bochner, Mahindra A. Ramdhanie, Brian K. Reilly, COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND CLIMATE CHANGE, SECTION ON OTOLARYNGOLOGY–HEAD AND NECK SURGERY; Preventing Excessive Noise Exposure in Infants, Children, and Adolescents. Pediatrics November 2023; 152 (5): e2023063753. 10 .1542/peds.2023-063753 Direct vs Indirect effects •Direct effects of noise •Noise induced sensorineural hearing loss •Tinnitus • Indirect effects of noise •Cognitive effects (memory, attention) •Cardiovascular effects (sympathetic dysregulation) •Sleep disruption •Long term effects Environmental Noise‐Induced Effects on Stress Hormones, Oxidative Stress, and Vascular Dysfunction: Key Factors in the Relationship between Cerebrocardiovascular and Psychological Disorders Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, Volume: 2019, Issue: 1, First published: 11 November 2019, DOI: (10.1155/2019/4623109) Environmental Noise‐Induced Effects on Stress Hormones, Oxidative Stress, and Vascular Dysfunction: Key Factors in the Relationship between Cerebrocardiovascular and Psychological Disorders Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, Volume: 2019, Issue: 1, First published: 11 November 2019, DOI: (10.1155/2019/4623109) Environmental Noise‐Induced Effects on Stress Hormones, Oxidative Stress, and Vascular Dysfunction: Key Factors in the Relationship between Cerebrocardiovascular and Psychological Disorders Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, Volume: 2019, Issue: 1, First published: 11 November 2019, DOI: (10.1155/2019/4623109) Environmental Noise‐Induced Effects on Stress Hormones, Oxidative Stress, and Vascular Dysfunction: Key Factors in the Relationship between Cerebrocardiovascular and Psychological Disorders Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, Volume: 2019, Issue: 1, First published: 11 November 2019, DOI: (10.1155/2019/4623109) Environmental Noise‐Induced Effects on Stress Hormones, Oxidative Stress, and Vascular Dysfunction: Key Factors in the Relationship between Cerebrocardiovascular and Psychological Disorders Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, Volume: 2019, Issue: 1, First published: 11 November 2019, DOI: (10.1155/2019/4623109) Source of Noisea Recommendation Rationale Strength of Recommendation Comment Road traffic Average exposure: reduce noise levels below 53 dB Lden. Night noise exposure: reduce noise levels below 45 dB Lnight. Road traffic noise above this level is associated with adverse health effects. Nighttime road traffic noise above this level is associated with adverse effects on sleep. Strong Strong A strong recommendation can be adopted as policy in most situations. There is confidence that desirable effects of implementation outweigh undesirable effects, based on the quality of evidence and other factors. WHO environmental guidelines Adapted from World Health Organization. Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region. Executive Summary.135 Available at:https://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/383922/noise-guidelines-exec-sum-eng.pdf. Who is responsible to improve our community? EPA recommends [role of government is to] protect “public health and welfare” from annoyance and mental anguish Sophie J. Balk,Risa E. Bochner,Mahindra A. Ramdhanie,Brian K. Reilly,COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND CLIMATE CHANGE,SECTION ON OTOLARYNGOLOGY– HEAD AND NECK SURGERY; Preventing Excessive Noise Exposure in Infants, Children, and Adolescents.Pediatrics November 2023; 152 (5): e2023063753. 10.1542/peds.2023-063753 Key Strategies for Reducing Residential Noise Pollution Sound barriers and insulation:Physical barriers such as walls, berms, dense vegetation (hedgerows, trees), and acoustic fencing can attenuate noise from roads, highways, and industrial sources. Double- or triple-pane windows and insulated walls significantly reduce indoor noise levels. Traffic management:Speed reductions, traffic calming measures (speed bumps, roundabouts), rerouting heavy vehicles, and use of low-noise road surfaces (e.g., rubberized asphalt) are among the most effective community-level interventions. Zoning and land-use planning:Separating residential areas from industrial, commercial, and high-traffic zones through municipal zoning ordinances is a foundational approach. Buffer zones between noise sources and homes are effective. Local noise ordinances:Enforcing or strengthening local noise regulations — including limits on construction hours, amplified music, and equipment use — provides a legal framework for noise control. Community advocacy:Engaging with local government, attending city council or planning meetings, and filing noise complaints can drive policy changes. Many municipalities have environmental health departments that can conduct noise assessments.