Barriers to act in Singapore

 


LACK OF  CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE 

Gathering evidence is very important to make a case, especially so if our aim is to reduce noise pollution. Noise can adversely impact our behavior and health if left unchecked, however, there are a myriad of alternative factors influencing our well being as well. Such alternatives include light pollution, air pollution, weak immune systems and strong situational forces. Despite being backed by studies that show that Singapore’s average noise level is higher than the recommended levels, due to the complexity of determining the exact damage of noise pollution, we cannot conclusively show that noise plays a major role in causing such problems.

ABSENCE OF A NOISE MAPPING IN SINGAPORE

Noise mapping is an important tool that shows which region and area noise affects. It shows the level of noise pollution situated in each area and helps direct the government and communities to the source of the problem. There are studies in Singapore which help measure the average noise level throughout the city but these results are not translated to visual representations which identify the problem. Taking action towards reducing noise pollution is especially hard in Singapore where there are a lot of infrastructures emitting and reflecting noise, this makes it more difficult to set up sound barriers or absorbers to reduce noise.

ATTITUDES 

Noise complaints in Singapore are usually over annoyance.  It could vary from a noisy neighbor to loud construction works. Noise barriers and regulations are often in response to those complaints and not due to the ill effects of noise pollution. Therefore, these measures like putting up sound barriers at construction sites and MRT tracks serve only as a stop-gap measure which does not solve the root of the problem. If we do not internalize the problems, more permanent harm towards our health such as the increase in blood pressure and hearing loss will eventually come. Should we wait until noise pollution in Singapore becomes as bad as India or Hong Kong?

LACK OF MOTIVATION

Citizens of Singapore do care about noise pollution, evident by the increasing number of complaints every year. However, people only want to take action after they are affected on an individual level, for example being annoyed. They do not see the problem of noise pollution as an ongoing problem. This becomes a problem because they are not motivated to consciously reduce noise pollution and this limits the effectiveness of noise pollution campaigns and regulation. 

DIFFERING PERSPECTIVE

How noise pollution is defined is highly dependent on the perspective we take. What is considered disruptive and annoying to an individual maybe be therapeutic to another. We face an issue of what type of noise we should reduce or manage because noise is difficult to generalize. However, there are some sounds that many consider to be noise such as drilling and high pitch metal scratching. We can reduce on these noises in an attempt to reduce noise pollution generally.


 

 

 

 

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