Evaluación de los niveles de presión sonora en el área urbana del cantón Espíndola

Abstract

Abstract: Noise pollution in Latin American countries, such as Ecuador, is an environmental problem that has been widely evaluated from a scientific perspective, but is frequently ignored in the implementation of regulatory actions. This is the case of the Espíndola canton, a developing town that is experiencing notable growth in the commercial sector, but lacks municipal ordinances to mitigate environmental noise. The absence of previous acoustic evaluations has hindered the development of policies. This study evaluates sound pressure levels in the urban area of ​​Espíndola, with the purpose of characterizing current noise pollution and developing a noise mitigation program. 20 sampling points were distributed in residential, commercial and service areas. The results revealed that 70% of the points exceeded the maximum limits allowed, with an average of 57.18 dBA between 45.74 and 63.43 dBA. The noisiest places correspond to main avenues with high traffic flow. To mitigate this problem, it is proposed to manage traffic flow during peak hours, carry out awareness campaigns that promote quieter modes of transport, and establish biannual controls.