Finding the highest noise exposure in midlevel deprivation areas was unexpected, given the general literature on environmental inequalities. It highlights the need to study the diversity of the patterns of environmental inequalities across various economic, social and cultural contexts. Comparative studies of environmental inequalities are needed, between regions and countries, for noise and other pollutants.

We found some evidence that potential exposure to night-time road traffic noise might affect individual use of anxiolytics-hypnotics. Further research based on strictly individual approaches is warranted to assess exposure to road traffic noise more precisely and reliably than allowed by noise propagation prediction models.

paper provides examples of noise maps for communities of different sizes with road, railway and industrial sources. The difficulties to estimate noise emission from industrial sites are discussed. Recommendations are provided. A methodology to create the industry data base for a noise map with a large number of industrial sites in the territory is presented. It is shown how noise maps can be an attractive tool to be used in the environmental management system of the plant manager to communicate on the plant environmental integration and noise abatement plan.

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