Abstract:
This article focuses on the monitoring of community noise pollution in some selected sensitive areas of Kuala Lumpur that include Blue Boy
Mansions residential area and LaSalle Secondary School in busiest part of Klang Valley. The objectives of the article were to monitor and to assess the
existing noise levels at the selected sites. A modular precision Sound Level Meter (SLM) Type One was used in the measurements. The measurements
were taken for 24–hours in the residential area and from 6 am to 7 pm in the school area (schooling hours). The measurements were taken at an interval
of ten minutes and each measurement lasted for five minutes at appropriate points in accordance with ISO 1996-1:1982, ISO 1996-2:1987 and ISO
19896-3:1987. Equivalent Continuous Sound Level (Leq), Sound Level exceeded 10% of the measurement period (L10), Sound Level exceeded 90% of
the measurement (L90), minimum noise level (Lmin) and maximum noise level (Lmax) were measured to assist in assessing the existing noise levels at the
selected sites. Results showed that the monitored noise levels in terms of Leq, in residential area ranged between 52.1dB(A) to 72.7dB (A) and in the
school area ranged between 68.2dB(A) to 73.7dB(A). These levels highly exceeded the level recommended by the World Health Organization (p ≤
0.001). These noise levels cause sleeping disturbance, interfere with speech communication and message extraction. The main causes of such noise
levels are related to transportation system, motor vehicles and traffic supported by poor urban planning. To reduce such noise levels suggestion are
made for municipalities to consider protection of communities from an environmental noise as an integral part of their policy for environmental protection
to create conducive environment for the society.
