title: Summary of night noise guidelines for Europe.
abstract: Considering the scientific evidence on the threshold of night noise exposure indicated by L night as defined in the Environmental Noise Directive (2002/49/EC), L night value of 40 dB should be the target of the night noise guideline (NNG) to protect the public, including the most vulnerable groups such as children, the chronically ill and the elderly. L night value of 55 dB is recommended as an interim target for countries which cannot follow NNG in the short term for various reasons and where policy-makers choose to adopt a stepwise approach. These guidelines may be considered an extension to the previous World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for community noise (1999).
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization (WHO), European Centre for Environment and Health, Regional Office for Europe, Bonn, Germany. rki@ecehbonn.euro.who.int
authors.forename: Rokho
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Martin van den
authors.initials: Mv
authors.lastname: Berg
mesh_terms: D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000592:standards*; D005060:Europe; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014944:World Health Organization