Brussels: More than 110 million people across Europe are exposed to harmful noise pollution, leading to an estimated 66,000 premature deaths annually, a new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) revealed on Tuesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, transport noise ranks as one of Europe's primary environmental health risks, following air pollution and temperature-related issues. The report highlights that long-term exposure to transport noise is associated with 66,000 early deaths each year in Europe, approximately 50,000 new cases of heart disease, and 22,000 cases of type 2 diabetes.

The report states that nearly 16.9 million Europeans experience long-term annoyance due to transport noise, while about 4.6 million individuals endure severe sleep disturbances. Furthermore, noise pollution has been linked to thousands of cases of depression and dementia. Alarmingly, about 15 million children reside in areas with harmful noise levels, which the report indicates pose greater health risks than exposure to secondhand smoke.

Economic impacts are significant, with transport noise pollution causing at least EUR 95.6 billion in annual economic losses across Europe, equating to 0.6% of GDP due to health-related economic impacts. Researchers caution that the European Union is unlikely to meet its target of reducing the number of people chronically affected by transport noise by 30% by 2030 unless additional measures are implemented.

The study emphasizes the importance of source-level measures supported by regulations for effective and consistent implementation. It suggests strategies such as reducing urban speed limits, promoting public transport, and encouraging walking and cycling to mitigate road traffic noise.