Geoda.ch
Traffic Noise and Tranquility
One in seven people in Switzerland has to put up with excessive noise pollution, making Switzerland, on average, one of the least tranquil European countries. Traffic noise and lack of tranquility is a major health issue reducing life expectancy. It is estimated that the Swiss population loses 69,300 life years, every year, that could have been lived out in good health in the absence of noise pollution. The Geoda.ch housing report gives you information on traffic noise and tranquility for all Swiss addresses.
As the world grows louder, the rare silence becomes the ultimate luxury, offering a serene refuge from the cacophony of daily life. Unfortunately, most of us are not so lucky as to live in tranquil isolation from noise. In Switzerland, one in seven people (1.1 million) are exposed to noise levels at their places of residence during the day that exceed the exposure limit values specified in the Noise Abatement Ordinance (NAO). Additionally, one in eight (1 million people) are exposed to harmful or disturbing traffic noise at night. Around 600,000 residential units are affected during the day and about 530,000 at night1. The dense road network and the high population density in Switzerland make it difficult for the government to remedy the problem.
“The constitutional goal of protecting the population from excessive noise has therefore not been achieved yet. ”
Although we may get used to the noise, living with it is far from being problem-free. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), traffic noise can cause nuisances and health effects such as cancer, communication difficulties, headaches, sleep disturbances, stress, increased blood pressure, increased risk of heart disease, and hormonal effects. Noise can affect performance and impact children's learning and motivation2, 3. Thus, noise has harmful health effects on people and can lead to actual health effects with prolonged exposure. Every year, the Swiss population loses approximately 69,300 life years that could have been lived out in good health in the absence of noise pollution (WHO estimates)1.
Map showing the calculated traffic noise in Switzerland 2.
Noise also causes economic losses: properties exposed to noise lose value, noisy areas are less attractive to live and work in, and the health consequences of noise pollution are costly. The external costs generated by traffic noise in Switzerland in 2019 totalled an estimated CHF 2,830 million. Of this, CHF 2,277 million (80%) was accounted for by road traffic.
Map showing the calculated tranquility for the Swiss Plateau 5.