A Healthy Dose of Quiet.

Excessive noise can have negative effects on physical and cognitive health, including damage to the heart and blood vessels, disruption of the endocrine system, and impairment of thinking and learning abilities. The World Health Organization recommends limiting exposure to road traffic noise to protect against these health effects. Despite the evidence, noise regulations in the US have not been effectively enforced, leading to rising noise levels. Noise pollution disproportionately affects low-income communities, and efforts should be made to reduce noise levels and enforce regulations to protect individuals from its harmful effects. The EPA's noise-control office lacks funding and resources to enforce regulations or conduct research, resulting in a lack of information on the overall impact of noise pollution in the United States. Revitalizing the EPA's noise-control office is necessary to establish data-based noise limits and regulations and ensure their enforcement. [Extracted from the article]