Aspects of Urban Noise Pollution in a Large Brazilian City

Abstract

This paper presents the results obtained in a study on environmental noise pollution in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. The equivalent sound level values - L_A,eq,2hr - were measured and tabulated for 1000 locations spread over the urban zones of the city of Curitiba. It was found that 93.3% out of the locations display, during the day, equivalent sound levels over 65 dB(A), and 40.3% out of the locations measured display during the day extremely high values of equivalent sound levels: over 75 dB(A). Measurement points were evaluated according to the assumptions established by two types of legislation: 1) local legislation: Law 8583 of 1995, which deals with urban noise and public comfort; 2) international legislation: the criteria of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development - HUD.