An Assessment of Noise Pollution in Addis Ababa: the Case of Bole Michael Community Area
Creators: name: Doda, Dana
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2017

description: Noise causes adverse effect on human health, deteriorates environment and diminishes the value of property. Thus, this study aimed to survey different sources of noise pollution giving particular emphasis to religious institutions' loudspeaker and impulsive sound amplifier and night clubs live musical beat in the midnight. Though there are five zones in the study area i.e. Woreda 1 of Bole sub-city, only two zones were selected for the study as these zones were densely populated having more than 10,000 or 50%of the woreda residents and highly exposed to noise pollution. A total of 120 participants in the study were selected by applying simple random sampling technique and purposively. In order to attain the proposed objectives instruments like questionnaire, key informants interview and FGDs were employed. To analyze the collected data both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. More specifically, quantitative data analyzed by using descriptive Statistical Package for Social Science version whereas the qualitative data analyzed by narration. The noise measurement was carried out using SPL, in dB. The study findings indicated that the major four religious institutions that exist in survey domain released in a minimum average 71dB (A) and also a maximum average level reaches to be 87dB (A). In the same manner, the night clubs, bars and restaurants situated in the community residential area release minimum average 64dB(A)and maximum average accounts 84dB(A). This result indicated that it was excessively high and above permissible limits of noise level as compared to (WHO, 1999) guidelines in community residential area to be at night 40dB and day time45 dB, in patient ward room 30 dB and in school classroom to be 35dB. This means that the noise level in the area is over legally limited noise level and this may cause profound health effects on the residents and also this had been clearly confirmed by the majority of the respondents that they had been faced sleep disturbance, interference with spoken communication and interruption in teaching-learning process in schools area. The study identified that there is acted rule and regulation to protect the citizens from noise pollution. But, Authority being reluctant to pay attention for the public outcry especially with the religion institution cases, lack of human, material and financial resources has contributed to some extent. This means that the responsible body's major problem to control noise level in the residential area is not a matter of law making; rather it is the problem of enforcement and implementation the existing law. Therefore, noise level in the residential area should be controlled with the full participation of different stakeholders so that the regulatory body needs to provide training and education to the community and raise the awareness of religious institutions to minimize the level of noise or to implement noise suppressor technology. On the other hand, for night clubs and bars, before grant license, Ministry of Trade has to set noise issue as one point of criteria for authentication and issuance of license. Keywords: Sound, Noise, Noise pollution, sources of noise, effect of noise