(MENAFN) Over 110 million Europeans are exposed to damaging noise pollution, contributing to approximately 66,000 premature fatalities each year, reveals a new report released Tuesday by the European Environment Agency (EEA).

The report identifies transport noise as one of the top environmental health threats in Europe, ranking just behind air pollution and climate-related hazards.

Chronic exposure to noise from transport is connected to 66,000 early deaths yearly, along with nearly 50,000 newly diagnosed heart disease cases and 22,000 instances of type 2 diabetes across the continent.

Long-term annoyance from transport noise impacts around 16.9 million Europeans, while 4.6 million people endure serious sleep disruptions. The study also associates noise pollution with thousands of cases of depression and dementia.

Approximately 15 million children reside in zones with hazardous noise levels, which the report asserts pose health dangers even greater than those of secondhand smoke.

Economic costs tied to transport noise pollution are staggering, with annual losses estimated at EUR 95.6 billion throughout Europe — equal to 0.6% of GDP — driven by health-related expenses.

Experts caution that without stronger interventions, the European Union is unlikely to achieve its goal of cutting the number of people severely affected by transport noise by 30% by 2030.

The research emphasizes that regulations targeting noise sources are crucial for effective and sustained progress. Recommended strategies include lowering urban speed limits, boosting public transportation, and fostering walking and cycling to reduce road traffic noise.

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