Federal Environmental Agency Study on aircraft noise diseases

Federal Environmental Agency plans study on health risks of aircraft noise

17.03.2011

Aircraft noise makes you ill. What those affected have long suspected and the renowned epidemiology professor dr. Eberhard Greiser has already been able to prove this in several studies, which will be reviewed in Bremen as part of a study financed by the Federal Environment Agency.

The epidemiologist has been commissioned by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) to investigate the influence of traffic noise from cars, trains and aircraft on health, in particular cancer and heart attack risk, in a nationwide study. Dr. Greiser and the Association for the Protection of Air Traffic Victims (VSF) presented the planned study to the public on Tuesday. Yesterday, the epidemiology professor appeared in Berlin at an event organized by the citizens' initiatives from Teltow and Rangsdorf against the Berlin Brandenburg International Airport (BBI) and presented the results of his investigations on Cologne-Bonn Airport in 2007 and 2010. It had to be clearly stated that cardiovascular diseases are proving disproportionately frequent among residents in the direct airport environment. Greiser.

Aircraft noise increases risk of cardiovascular disease
Desperately, a number of citizens' initiatives are fighting Germany's flight noise pollution. They fear that aircraft noise pollution will affect not only their nerves but also the health of local residents. The costs of these health consequences are too little taken into account in the previous deliberations on the BBI, so the opinion of the citizens' initiatives from Teltow and Rangsdorf. Because cardiovascular diseases are disproportionately frequent among residents in the direct environment of airports, as Dr. Greiser in his previous studies could prove. The study, funded by the Federal Environment Agency, could offer a significantly improved basis for balancing the risks and advantages of comparable major projects.

Never before has such precise data been available for the investigation as is available in Bremen Greiser and the VSF. For example, it would be possible to make general statements about the relationship between noise pollution and health risks, even if it has to be re-examined on a case-by-case basis how high the risk actually is. For Dr. med. Greiser, however, has no doubt that noise makes you ill. However, it has not yet been clearly explained how ill. This will now be reviewed with the 15-month study, with the Federal Environment Agency contributing around € 250,000 to the funding and the Bremen Health Department taking over the remaining € 50,000. The results of the study will be presented in April 2012.

Examination of the health risks of environmental noise in Bremen
The conditions are particularly well suited for the investigation of the health risks of environmental noise (flight, road traffic and railway noise) in Bremen, since here since 1998 a good cancer registry is led and one „unbelievably good social reporting“ and a mortality index listing each cause of death. In addition, the health insurance companies, according to Dr. med. Greiser further anonymised data sets about illnesses of the Bremer insured persons available. Last but not least, political support in Bremen is particularly high. Greiser according to own data instead of the often usual obstacles „strong tailwind“ especially through the environmental and social department. Also the VSF chairman Monika Morschel stressed that she „really very happy“ that the study on the health effects of environmental noise is now Greiser, since the previous mechanisms designed to balance the interests of airport operators and local residents, „always very airport friendly“ failed.

Previous studies confirm health risks of aircraft noise
In Berlin, the former director of the Bremen Institute for Prevention Research and Social Medicine stated that his previous studies on Cologne-Bonn Airport have produced a clear result. On the basis of anonymous data, one million insured persons at eight statutory health insurances were taken into account in the calculations. Thus, 55 percent of the population of Cologne and two neighboring districts were part of the study. The significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease in the vicinity of the Cologne-Bonn Airport is therefore no coincidence and scientifically proven. The fact that so far no comparable investigations were carried out despite the protests of the citizens' initiatives at the BBI, is in the estimation of Dr. med. Greiser is not due to the cost of about 1.5 million euros or the required period of 18 months, but to the fear of those responsible before the results. „Before the result have the scare“, so Dr. Greiser in original sound. For his model calculation for the BBI has shown that the number of cardiovascular diseases increases significantly even from a low continuous noise level of 47 decibels. Thus, in addition to the already occurring 1,500 cardiovascular diseases, the acute noise pollution of more than 200,000 people in the vicinity of BBI would add about 200 aircraft noise-related diseases, explained the epidemiology expert. This would entail costs of 1.5 million euros per year, with costs rising over time, explained dr. Greiser. After five years, there are already 22 million euros additional costs, after ten years, even 86 million euros, which in the future would have to flow into the treatment of aircraft noise in the environment of the BBI, stressed the epidemiology. Thus, the previous calculations on the efficiency of BBI would be significantly different than before.

Aircraft noise increases stress hormones and blood pressure
The aircraft noise has significant negative health consequences, according to Dr.. Greiser on the „Increased release of stress hormones and high blood pressure“ due. For evolutionary history, noise has always been a warning signal to which the body reacts with the release of adrenaline and an increase in blood pressure, the epidemiologist explains. „Evolutionary made sense: Earlier, sudden noise meant danger. Therefore, stress hormones were released so that humans could escape,“ so the statement of the expert. Although a landing aircraft does not require an escape, the sleeping-dormant organism is still in turmoil, and long-term damage to health is the result. (Fp)

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Aircraft noise increases heart attack risk
Connection between aircraft noise and diseases

Picture: Dr. Klaus-Uwe Gerhardt