Assessment of community noise problem in Greater Beirut Area, Lebanon.

Over the last two decades, urban noise has been increasing rapidly, primarily in urban areas, due to population growth and the increase of certain noise sources. The main objective of this paper is to assess the sources and possible impacts of the community noise problems in Lebanese urban areas, particularly the Greater Beirut Area. The causes and effects of community noise pollution are briefly presented. Sound pressure levels that were measured to define existing noise exposure levels in various locations in the Greater Beirut Area are also presented. The attitudes toward noise pollution and perceived annoyance impact on a sample of 1,038 exposed residents are described. The association between measured noise levels and sources, as well as annoyance, is examined using correlation analysis and linear and multiple linear regressions. A set of recommendations is presented to reduce community noise problem in Greater Beirut Area.