Editorial. Has anyone been listening? - Environmental Science

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EDITORIAL

Editor: James J. Morgan WASHINGTON EDITORIAL STAFF Managing Editor: Stanton S. Miller Assistant Editor: Julian Josephson Assistant Editor: Lois R. Ember MANU SCR I PT REV I EW I NG Manager: Katherine I . Biggs Editorial Assistant: David Hanson MANUSCRIPT EDITING Associate Production Manager: Charlotte C. Sayre GRAPHICS AND PRODUCTION Head: Bacil Guiley Manager: Leroy L. Corcoran Art Director: Norman Favin Artist: Gerald M . Quinn Advisory Board: P. L. Brezonik, David Jenkins, Charles R . O’Melia, John H. Seinfeld. John W . Winchester Published by the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 1155 16th Street N W Washington D C 20036 Executive Director Robert W Cairns PUBLIC AFFAiRS AND COMMUNICATION DIVISION Director Richard L Kenyon ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT Centcom. Ltd For offices and advertisers see page 1045 Please send research manuscripts to Manuscript Reviewing, feature manuscripts to Managing Editor. For author’s guide and editorial policy, see June 1974 issue, page 549, or write Katherine I Biggs, Manuscript Reviewing Office, ES&T

Has anyone been listening? The environmental plans of man often go astray. Wellintentioned though they are, the plans for air, water, and solid waste cleanup have run into deadline difficulties, energy constraints, and are now caught up in the economic spiral of increasing costs. When one hears of a stretchout in deadlines, one can only ask how long it will be before a request for such a stretchout is made to the Congress. It seems inevitable. Consider, for example, another dilemma-this time with noise, the fourth form of pollution. At the federal level, control efforts in the EPA stemmed from an authorization (title I V of the Clean Air Act of 1970) to .establish a noise control office: it was followed in October 1972 with the enactment of the Noise Control Act, P.L. 92-574. From a mere beginning-two people in April 1971 to approximately 100 today, and a funding level of $4.7 million in fiscal 1974 and a proposed level of $6 million this fiscal year-much has been achieved. By July 1, 1973, three reports mandated by legislation were submitted to the Congress. This March, EPA came out with its “Levels Document” which set forth the levels of noise that are not to be exceeded to protect the health and welfare of the public. It points out that the beginning of hearing impairment begins at 75 decibels [dB(A)]. At 90 d B ( A ) , the level prescribed by OSHA for the U.S. workplace, there would be a 10-20% permanent hearing impairment. All point out that to reduce the decibel din from 90 to 85 would be costly; estimates range from $15-45 billion for the U.S. industrial workplace. EPA is also in the process of identifying various products as sources of noise. This June, the agency identified the first two-medium and heavy-duty trucks, and portable air compressors-for which regulations will subsequently be issued. Another 20 products have been identified as sources of noise-an additional eight transportation and 12 construction equipment items. Ideally, some 40-50 will be regulated in the next 5-1 0 years. Although this may all sound like more noise, only by decreasing the decibel din can this nation return to a safe and healthy exposure to noise in our workaday and leisure environments.

Volume 8, Number 12, November 1974

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