Noise Pollution in Metropolitan Tehran and the Ways of Counteracting it

Noise pollution is one of the most common environmental problems in the major cities of the world, including the metropolis of Tehran, which has been paid less attention than other problems, while this type of pollution is one of the most important environmental pollutants in Tehran metropolis. Noise damages not only the hearing system but also all physiological systems in the body. Tehran's metropolitan area is critical in terms of noise pollution. The entrance of a huge number of worn out and non-standard vehicles, lack of attention to suitable urban design systems, the lack of balance between urban transport network and the number of cars, decay and over-crowding in the city's central areas, narrow and winding passageways, lack of organized laws dealing with offenders, cultural factors and technology, construction operations, development and repair of transportation networks, gas supplying system, telecommunication, intrusive industries within the city and ... have caused many Tehran citizens to be exposed to harsh noises and the consequent psychological and physical harm caused by this problem. Scientific research on the causes of this phenomenon and factors affecting it and its effects is of particular importance in planning and designing urban spaces and in controlling its results. In this study, the data on noise pollutants in some areas of Tehran was obtained and compared with ideal and appropriate conditions. The results of this study show that the main cause of noise pollution in Tehran are vehicles, especially automobiles and motorcycles, because there is no appropriate combination of communicative functions with social and cultural functions in the physical system of communication networks in service and even recreational centers of this city, so that many areas, neighborhoods and roads face the problem of noise pollution.