Population Annoyance by Below-Limit Industrial Noise from the Mining Industry: A Questionnaire Survey Methodology

The operation of open-pit mines relies on powerful equipment that produces noise emissions reaching up to 120 dB. Populations living in the vicinity of mines often complain about noise even when the noise levels are below the permissible limits. This study aims to assess noise perception and related environmental risks among residents living near the Turow open-pit lignite mine, located at the tri-border of the Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany.

A modified ISO/TS 15666:2003 questionnaire was used to collect data from residents in exposed areas (n = 59 of 230 adult residents) and in a control area (n = 54 of 360 adult residents) during 2022 to 2023. All adult residents were contacted. The χ2 test and a binary logistic regression model at the 5% significance level were used for the analysis.

Industrial noise, described as "humming" and "rumbling," was identified as the primary concern in exposed areas (P = 0.030), with residents reporting high levels of annoyance and a perceived worsening of the noise situation over the past 5 years. Another significant problem was dust pollution (P = 0.024). The overall perceived quality of life in the exposed area was more than two times worse than that in the control area (odds ratio = 2.25, 95% confidence interval: 1.01-4.99).

Despite the small number of exposed residents and the low response rate in this study, its findings suggest that even legally acceptable noise levels can significantly affect the perceived quality of life of residents.