**3. Neighborhood noise problem and the related efforts in Korea**

According to mediation center report, of the 137,813 telephone consultations (2012–2018), there were severe conflicts among neighbors, and 39,950 cases

(29.0%) were requested for onsite diagnosis and measurement. The mediation service demand has increased by 3.2 times from 8795 cases in 2012 to 28,231 cases in 2018. 12493 cases required on-site diagnosis and measurement. Even though the construction year varied among those cases, the slab thickness of the apartments estimated to be less than 120 mm. Of the 1271 noise measurements, 1177 (92.6%) were within the standard, and only 94 (7.4%) exceeded the regulatory standard in 2018. Of the number of onsite diagnoses and measurements received, the floor impact sound distribution was 82.8%, and in particular, "children's running or footsteps" accounted for 70.6%, followed by hammering, furniture pulling, door closing, vibrating machines, and exercise equipment. The most common air transmitted noise was generated by household appliances, followed by musical instruments, argument, pets, toilet drains, and air conditioner outdoor units.

Most of the damages reported to the Mediation Center were sleep disturbance, followed by rest disturbance, excessive protest from the victim, emotional anxiety, and learning disturbance. In case of the conflict period between neighborhoods, less than 6 months was the most frequent, and it tended to decrease over time until 2 years but increased after that.

These results showed that the victim initially responds to the neighborhood noise sensitively due to unfamiliar state of the living environment, but eventually the pattern of response improved due to changes in behavior attitude, improvement of mutual relations, and habitualization of noise. However, it is estimated that if the period gets prolonged, the damage is re-recognized when the subjective tolerable limit is exceeded (**Table 1**).

If the noise exposure persists over an extended period of time, increasing evidence suggests that more severe health consequences, such as cardiovascular diseases, may emerge as a result of prolonged physiological stress [7, 8].

Korea's standards of Environment Noise were first established in 1964 as "Pollution Prevention Act" and have gone through several revisions in the following order, Environmental Protection Act (1978), Noise and Vibration Control Act (1991), and still the revision is ongoing. The intent of the law is to preserve proper environment, which requires the establishment of various measures, such as setting


#### **Table 1.**

*The receipt situation of mediation center for neighborhood noise by conflict period and type of impact in Korea (2017–2018).*

**25**

*†*

**Table 2.**

*Neighborhood Noise*

**Target areas**

Living area\*

Other area

*and Reading Promotion Act.*

*pillar, or wall as a whole.*

*Noise and vibration control act and related standards (dBA SPL).*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92877*

are in the following paragraphs.

environmental standards, designating an area requiring countermeasures against noise, and setting rational permissible emission standards necessary to protect the health, property, and pleasant natural environment of the people. The law determines the regulation area of living noise where control standards are needed to impose adjustment of working hours, suspension of noise producing activities, and installation of soundproofing facilities. In addition, for those who fail to fulfill the act, it enables to prohibit the use or closure of the industry. In 2010, the revised enforcement rules have stipulated the range of noise generated by human activities (**Table 2**). As the problem of neighboring noise became more serious, the government prepared comprehensive plans to reduce living noise in 2010. The related contents

First, strengthening the precautious prevention: provision of regulations for surrounding noise sources for quiet facilities (schools, libraries, hospitals, elderly facilities, childcare facilities, apartment houses, etc.), recognition of the amount of the fine caused by the noise and vibration dispute; second, management of new noise sources and living noise: present management standards for the floor impact noise and noise rating system for home appliances, preparing low frequency noise management guidelines; and third, traffic noise management: expanding the supply of lownoise cars and low-noise pavement and designating traffic noise management areas. As a result of these efforts by government departments, the standard for neighborhood noise was more strengthened than the first one. The following shows the standards for interlayer noise implemented since 2014 (**Table 3**). The inter-floor noise-related policies of other countries are centered on lightweight impact noise, and the recommendation to the perpetrator (the UK) and fine imposition (the USA and Germany) is the main method. The allowable range varies from 65 dB in Spain

**Noise source Morning** 

Loudspeaker\*\* Outdoor 60 65 60

Factory 50 55 45 Industry Same building† 45 50 40

Construction 60 65 50

Loudspeaker Outdoor 65 70 60

Factory 60 65 55 Industry Same building 50 55 45

Construction 65 70 50

*\*Area straightly within 50 m from boundary of a general hospital under the Medical Act, schools under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Higher Education Act, and public libraries under the Library* 

*\*\*The loudspeaker installed outdoors should be used within 3 minutes at once with at least 15-minute interval.*

*The term "Same building" refers to a building in accordance with Article 2 of the Building Act, which has a roof,* 

**(05–07) Evening (18–22)**

Transmitted to indoor 50 55 45

Transmitted to indoor 60 65 55

Others 50 55 45

Others 60 65 55

**Day (07–18)**

**Night (22–05)**

#### *Neighborhood Noise DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92877*

*Noise and Environment*

(29.0%) were requested for onsite diagnosis and measurement. The mediation service demand has increased by 3.2 times from 8795 cases in 2012 to 28,231 cases in 2018. 12493 cases required on-site diagnosis and measurement. Even though the construction year varied among those cases, the slab thickness of the apartments estimated to be less than 120 mm. Of the 1271 noise measurements, 1177 (92.6%) were within the standard, and only 94 (7.4%) exceeded the regulatory standard in 2018. Of the number of onsite diagnoses and measurements received, the floor impact sound distribution was 82.8%, and in particular, "children's running or footsteps" accounted for 70.6%, followed by hammering, furniture pulling, door closing, vibrating machines, and exercise equipment. The most common air transmitted noise was generated by household appliances, followed by musical instru-

ments, argument, pets, toilet drains, and air conditioner outdoor units.

over time until 2 years but increased after that.

limit is exceeded (**Table 1**).

**Total (%)**

(100.0)

2865 (61.2)

662 (14.1)

590 (12.6)

1281 (27.3)

**Type of impact**

Sleep disturbance

Rest disturbance

Excessive protest

Emotional anxiety

Learning disturbance

Total (%) 4684

Most of the damages reported to the Mediation Center were sleep disturbance, followed by rest disturbance, excessive protest from the victim, emotional anxiety, and learning disturbance. In case of the conflict period between neighborhoods, less than 6 months was the most frequent, and it tended to decrease

These results showed that the victim initially responds to the neighborhood noise sensitively due to unfamiliar state of the living environment, but eventually the pattern of response improved due to changes in behavior attitude, improvement of mutual relations, and habitualization of noise. However, it is estimated that if the period gets prolonged, the damage is re-recognized when the subjective tolerable

If the noise exposure persists over an extended period of time, increasing evidence suggests that more severe health consequences, such as cardiovascular

**Conflict period between neighborhood (years)**

809 (17.3)

315 (6.7) 55 98 56 20 36 41 9

94 (2.0) 16 28 22 4 9 13 2

Others 159 (3.4) 30 39 15 15 13 13 34

*The receipt situation of mediation center for neighborhood noise by conflict period and type of impact in Korea* 

**>0.5 0.5–1 1–1.5 1.5–2 2–3 3< Others**

269 (5.7)

838 705 489 163 275 333 64

160 109 118 35 63 90 87

182 136 109 32 56 48 27

452 (9.6)

538 (11.5)

223 (4.8)

diseases, may emerge as a result of prolonged physiological stress [7, 8]. Korea's standards of Environment Noise were first established in 1964 as "Pollution Prevention Act" and have gone through several revisions in the following order, Environmental Protection Act (1978), Noise and Vibration Control Act (1991), and still the revision is ongoing. The intent of the law is to preserve proper environment, which requires the establishment of various measures, such as setting

> 1114 (23.8)

**24**

**Table 1.**

*(2017–2018).*

environmental standards, designating an area requiring countermeasures against noise, and setting rational permissible emission standards necessary to protect the health, property, and pleasant natural environment of the people. The law determines the regulation area of living noise where control standards are needed to impose adjustment of working hours, suspension of noise producing activities, and installation of soundproofing facilities. In addition, for those who fail to fulfill the act, it enables to prohibit the use or closure of the industry. In 2010, the revised enforcement rules have stipulated the range of noise generated by human activities (**Table 2**).

As the problem of neighboring noise became more serious, the government prepared comprehensive plans to reduce living noise in 2010. The related contents are in the following paragraphs.

First, strengthening the precautious prevention: provision of regulations for surrounding noise sources for quiet facilities (schools, libraries, hospitals, elderly facilities, childcare facilities, apartment houses, etc.), recognition of the amount of the fine caused by the noise and vibration dispute; second, management of new noise sources and living noise: present management standards for the floor impact noise and noise rating system for home appliances, preparing low frequency noise management guidelines; and third, traffic noise management: expanding the supply of lownoise cars and low-noise pavement and designating traffic noise management areas.

As a result of these efforts by government departments, the standard for neighborhood noise was more strengthened than the first one. The following shows the standards for interlayer noise implemented since 2014 (**Table 3**). The inter-floor noise-related policies of other countries are centered on lightweight impact noise, and the recommendation to the perpetrator (the UK) and fine imposition (the USA and Germany) is the main method. The allowable range varies from 65 dB in Spain


*\*Area straightly within 50 m from boundary of a general hospital under the Medical Act, schools under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Higher Education Act, and public libraries under the Library and Reading Promotion Act.*

*\*\*The loudspeaker installed outdoors should be used within 3 minutes at once with at least 15-minute interval. † The term "Same building" refers to a building in accordance with Article 2 of the Building Act, which has a roof, pillar, or wall as a whole.*

#### **Table 2.**

*Noise and vibration control act and related standards (dBA SPL).*


*\*The equivalent noise level (Leq) for 1 minute and the equivalent noise level (Leq) for 5 minutes are the highest values measured in accordance with Note 3.*

*\*\*The maximum noise level (Lmax) is considered to have exceeded the standard if the value exceeded three times per hour.*

#### **Table 3.**

*Supplementary standards for neighborhood noise (Note 3).*


#### **Table 4.**

*Work processing flows of neighborhood noise mediation center.*

to 53 dB in Finland. In Korea, the law related to interlayer noise, which is stricter than that of the other countries, was enacted considering heavyweight shock, lightweight impact noise, and maximum time-weighted noise level (*L*max).

According to a 2013 National Human Rights Commission survey, 88% was stressed by interlayer noise. The response choices included were patience (46%), request to visit (25%), report to the guard (19%), protest after visit (7%), and report to police and neighboring centers (1%).

The Neighborhood Mediation Center opened in March 2012 to prevent neighborhood noise from social issue of multiunit apartments and to settle disputes reasonably (**Table 4**).

#### **4. Environmental noise indicators of the health impacts**

The suitable indicators for policy making on the basis of the most frequently used average noise indicators in Europe are *L*den and *L*night. These are used widely for exposure assessment in health effect studies and noise impact assessments.

**27**

*Neighborhood Noise*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92877*

25 dB for closed windows [1].

and difficult to prove [11, 12].

level when the reference time interval sets during the night.

term health outcomes at the population level remains tentative.

The *L*den indicator is day-evening-night-weighted sound pressure level as defined in Section 3.6.4 of ISO 1996-1:2016. It is calculated by the A-weighted average sound pressure level measured over a 24-hour period, with a 10 dB penalty, a 5 dB, and no penalty, each added to the average level at night, evening, and the daytime period, respectively [9]. The penalties considered people's extra sensitivity to noise during the evening and night. The *L*night indicator is the equivalent continuous sound pressure

In general, environmental noise is composed of complexed component such as impact sounds and impulse sounds, which make the *L*den or *L*night indicators hard to represent a particular noise effect. For single-event noise indicators, the maximum sound pressure level (*L*A,max) and its frequency distribution can be more appropriate in specific situations, such as in the context of night-time railway, aircraft noise events, and neighborhood noise that can clearly elicit awakenings and other physiological reactions that can be determined by *L*A,max. The *L*A,max indicator is maximum time-weighted and A-weighted sound pressure level within a stated time interval starting at *t*1 and ending at *t*2, expressed in dB [10]. Nevertheless, the assessment of the relationship between different types of single-event noise indicators and long-

All noise exposure prediction models used today estimate free-field exposure levels outdoors, and most noise abatement regulations refer to outdoor levels as well. Nevertheless, in certain cases, it would be helpful to estimate indoor levels based on outdoor values. The differences between indoor and outdoor levels are usually estimated at around 10 dB for open, 15 dB for tilted or half-open, and about

Regarding the night noise impacts on health, below the level of 30 dB *L*night, no effects on sleep are observed except for a slight increase in the frequency of body movements during sleep due to the night noise. There is no sufficient evidence that the biological effects observed at the level below 40 dB *L*night are harmful to health. However, adverse health effects are observed at the level above 40 dB *L*night, such as self-reported sleep disturbance, environmental insomnia, and increased use of somnifacient drugs and sedatives. Therefore, 40 dB *L*night is equivalent to the lowest observed adverse effect level (LOAEL) for night noise. Above 55 dB, the cardiovascular effects become the major public health concern, which are likely to be less dependent on the characteristics of the noise. Closer examination on the precise impact will be necessary in the range between 30 and 55 dB because most will depend on the detailed circumstances of each case. The causal link between immediate physiological reactions and long-term adverse health effects is complex

Since most of the problems of neighborhood noise are generated during the evening or at night, it is reasonable to estimate physical health effects using the noise indicators presented above. However, the actual field noise measurement results showed a few cases that exceeded the regulatory standards, and collisions among neighbors occurred even at relatively low noise levels. This means that the problems related to neighborhood noise are largely responsible for mental health effects such as annoyance and sleep disorders. It also suggests that the effects of "effect modifiers," such as differences in noise levels from the ambient noise, socioeconomic

status, and personal susceptibility to noise, should be considered.

Exposure to noise can lead to auditory and nonauditory effects on health. Through direct injury to the auditory system, noise exerts auditory effects such as

**5. Health outcomes of the noise exposure**

#### *Neighborhood Noise DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92877*

*Noise and Environment*

Air transmission

*values measured in accordance with Note 3.*

noise

*hour.*

**Table 3.**

**First-step service**

**Second-step service**

**Table 4.**

2. Confirm respondent onsite diagnosis and related measurement acceptance

*Supplementary standards for neighborhood noise (Note 3).*

Direct impact noise Equivalent noise level (*L*eq) for

*Work processing flows of neighborhood noise mediation center.*

report to police and neighboring centers (1%).

**4. Environmental noise indicators of the health impacts**

reasonably (**Table 4**).

1. Telephone counseling National noise information system and nationwide call center

Maximum noise level (*L*max)\*\* 57 52

are presented

1. Additional telephone counseling In-depth consulting on both sides

**Classification of neighborhood noise Standard for neighborhood noise**

Parameter Measuring unit (dBA) Daytime (6 am to

1 minute\*

Equivalent noise level (*L*eq) for 5 minutes\*

*\*The equivalent noise level (Leq) for 1 minute and the equivalent noise level (Leq) for 5 minutes are the highest* 

*\*\*The maximum noise level (Lmax) is considered to have exceeded the standard if the value exceeded three times per* 

to 53 dB in Finland. In Korea, the law related to interlayer noise, which is stricter than that of the other countries, was enacted considering heavyweight shock, lightweight impact noise, and maximum time-weighted noise level (*L*max). According to a 2013 National Human Rights Commission survey, 88% was stressed by interlayer noise. The response choices included were patience (46%), request to visit (25%), report to the guard (19%), protest after visit (7%), and

The Neighborhood Mediation Center opened in March 2012 to prevent neighborhood noise from social issue of multiunit apartments and to settle disputes

The suitable indicators for policy making on the basis of the most frequently used average noise indicators in Europe are *L*den and *L*night. These are used widely for

exposure assessment in health effect studies and noise impact assessments.

2. Onsite diagnosis Consultation of mitigation measures after

3. Onsite measurement of noise Measurement of noise level with equipment 24 hours

measures postal notice (end)

22 pm)

43 38

45 40

Night (22 pm to 6 am)

conflict, and degree of conflict Write the consultation report

After determining the cause of neighborhood noise, conflict resolution and mitigation measures

Accept: Implementation of second-step service Refuse: Noise reduction, conflict mitigation

If satisfied or self-solve the problem then finish

understanding housing structure, causes of

Completion of the consultation report

**26**

The *L*den indicator is day-evening-night-weighted sound pressure level as defined in Section 3.6.4 of ISO 1996-1:2016. It is calculated by the A-weighted average sound pressure level measured over a 24-hour period, with a 10 dB penalty, a 5 dB, and no penalty, each added to the average level at night, evening, and the daytime period, respectively [9]. The penalties considered people's extra sensitivity to noise during the evening and night. The *L*night indicator is the equivalent continuous sound pressure level when the reference time interval sets during the night.

In general, environmental noise is composed of complexed component such as impact sounds and impulse sounds, which make the *L*den or *L*night indicators hard to represent a particular noise effect. For single-event noise indicators, the maximum sound pressure level (*L*A,max) and its frequency distribution can be more appropriate in specific situations, such as in the context of night-time railway, aircraft noise events, and neighborhood noise that can clearly elicit awakenings and other physiological reactions that can be determined by *L*A,max. The *L*A,max indicator is maximum time-weighted and A-weighted sound pressure level within a stated time interval starting at *t*1 and ending at *t*2, expressed in dB [10]. Nevertheless, the assessment of the relationship between different types of single-event noise indicators and longterm health outcomes at the population level remains tentative.

All noise exposure prediction models used today estimate free-field exposure levels outdoors, and most noise abatement regulations refer to outdoor levels as well. Nevertheless, in certain cases, it would be helpful to estimate indoor levels based on outdoor values. The differences between indoor and outdoor levels are usually estimated at around 10 dB for open, 15 dB for tilted or half-open, and about 25 dB for closed windows [1].

Regarding the night noise impacts on health, below the level of 30 dB *L*night, no effects on sleep are observed except for a slight increase in the frequency of body movements during sleep due to the night noise. There is no sufficient evidence that the biological effects observed at the level below 40 dB *L*night are harmful to health. However, adverse health effects are observed at the level above 40 dB *L*night, such as self-reported sleep disturbance, environmental insomnia, and increased use of somnifacient drugs and sedatives. Therefore, 40 dB *L*night is equivalent to the lowest observed adverse effect level (LOAEL) for night noise. Above 55 dB, the cardiovascular effects become the major public health concern, which are likely to be less dependent on the characteristics of the noise. Closer examination on the precise impact will be necessary in the range between 30 and 55 dB because most will depend on the detailed circumstances of each case. The causal link between immediate physiological reactions and long-term adverse health effects is complex and difficult to prove [11, 12].

Since most of the problems of neighborhood noise are generated during the evening or at night, it is reasonable to estimate physical health effects using the noise indicators presented above. However, the actual field noise measurement results showed a few cases that exceeded the regulatory standards, and collisions among neighbors occurred even at relatively low noise levels. This means that the problems related to neighborhood noise are largely responsible for mental health effects such as annoyance and sleep disorders. It also suggests that the effects of "effect modifiers," such as differences in noise levels from the ambient noise, socioeconomic status, and personal susceptibility to noise, should be considered.
