Many of these findings are still largely held today. These important findings created an overall awareness that noise pollution can be just as harmful as other, more traditional kinds of pollution. Since for the most part society did not start addressing the other kinds of pollution until the late 1960s, noise pollution was the first kind of pollution that government started to address. Too much noise, especially repetitive or loud noise, can drive people crazy. Today, many States have laws that regulate the levels of allowable noise from businesses and other stationery sources.
Many municipalities have their own noise ordinances.
Several years ago, one municipality attempted to stop an ice cream truck vendor from ringing his bells and relied on a municipal noise ordinance. That was probably an example of too much noise regulation. In the United States, over 17 million people reportedly have hearing problems and some people suggest that people are losing their hearing at younger ages. Repeated exposure to loud noises is considered to be one of the culprits responsible for this trend. We all need to protect our ears from noise pollution.