The city’s noise pollution raises health concerns among its citizens

By Reem Abdellatif

Coming home with a headache and a bad mood has become an everyday fact of life for Downtown Cairo resident, Kholoud Abdel Moniem.

“When I come home, I’m welcomed by the yells of microbus drivers and loud men who set up shop in the streets to sell their merchandise… and at the end of the day, I’m always feeling wiped out,” she said.

It’s no secret that the blaring horns and deafening voices in the streets of Cairo are contributing to much of the city’s psychological suffering. But for Egyptians, the noise pollution is taking a toll on their health, as well.

Abdel Moniem is an 18-year-old student at the Institute of Modern Education. The young college student lives in the heart of Ramses Square, one of the busiest areas in the city. Everyday, she has to use public transportation to commute to her university, which is located on the opposite end of the city in Kattameya.

“We drive on the Ring Road on my way to university everyday and that’s where I have to deal with noise of traffic and a lot of times, deadly car accidents,” said Abdel Moniem.

While some people in Egypt may not realize the serious repercussions that noise pollution can have on their health, others are busy studying these effects and continuing to warn the Egyptian community.

“If the appropriate amount of noise levels are exceeded, the excess noise can have dangerous effects on someone’s nervous system and blood pressure,” said General Surgeon Dr. Hisham Hassieb who runs his own practice in Alexandria.

Although the noise does not actually cause hypertension, it certainly affects symptoms that are already present and causes high blood pressure to rise further, he added.

Set by the The Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA), the acceptable noise limits are between 35 to 55 dB. But according to studies conducted by the Egyptian National Research Center (NRC) in 2007, Cairo noise levels are never below 70 decibels (dB) and can escalate up to 90 dB.

Constant exposure to these levels is not only hazardous, but it can also cause people to notice drastic changes in their lives.

“When I first started driving, I would come home really angry and short-tempered, and that’s just not me,” said Mohamed Kamal, a Marketing Manager at Tycho Design in Cairo. “Even my family was surprised, but after thinking to myself, I realized that this was because I was always driving in the constant chaos and noise.”

That’s hardly a surprise to doctors. Dr. Hassieb warns that the exposure to excessive noise levels eventually becomes a burden on a person’s nervous system. This can cause people to lose their tempers, their patience, and become irritable.

“Look around in the streets of Cairo or Alexandria, there is a prominence of negativity among people,” he said. “You’ll always see people arguing or fighting; this is because excess noise affects a person’s behavior tremendously.”

Aside from effects that it has has on health, Cairo residents say the constant clamor is also harming their social lives.

“Going back and forth everyday in all that mess makes me lose my temper at home,” said 18-year-old Abdel Moniem, who resides in crowded in Ramses Square. “I feel like I don’t have the patience to talk to anyone and I’d rather just take a nap, especially if my parents want to argue or discuss something.”

Kamal, who is a bachelor in his early 20’s, can relate entirely. He said he can’t imagine how tiring his life would be if he had other responsibilities aside from work.

“Everyday I get to work feeling absolutely exhausted from what I like to call ‘the traffic journey’ and as I’m supposed to start off my day, I actually feel like it’s the end,” said Kamal . “By the time I get off from work, I’m wiped out and I’m just a single guy… imagine if I had to go home and deal with a wife and kids!”

According to Dr. Hassieb, rising noise levels also cause headaches, which can, in the long-term, affect a person’s hearing abilities and concentration.

“I come home with the intention to study, but then I find myself feeling sleepy and unable to concentrate,” said Abdel Moniem.

According to The Daily News in Egypt, the World Health Organization rates noise pollution as the third worst type of pollution in the world, warning that exposure to noise levels above the normal limits for more than eight hours a day is hazardous to one’s health.

With the noise levels in Cairo reaching shocking levels, Dr. Hassieb warns of a national crisis as the situation in Egypt now is beyond repair.

“If we are going to fix this, we will have to change the nation’s ethics as a whole and right now that’s just not possible,” said Dr. Hassieb. “However, a temporary fix will have to start with the individual who can try to make his or her own soothing environment at home.”

Scattered all over Cairo and Alexandria are ‘No Honking’ signs posted by Egypt’s Ministry of Transportation. However, it seems as if they are not there. In fact, in weddings, it’s a tradition that the accompanying cars of friends and family follow the bride and groom to honk all over the streets. In this situation, the commotion becomes unbearable.

“The noise does affect my nerves, but I know that I can’t give into it because I’d like to continue being a laid back person… even though I’m living in this ‘chaotic organization,’” said Kamal.