The environmental association Zero is calling for the urgent closure of Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport, which has caused a cumulative loss of nearly nine billion euros from noise impacts on human health from 2015 to date.
“Zero hopes that following the ongoing Strategic Environmental Assessment, the countdown will begin for the urgent and permanent closure of Humberto Delgado Airport, ending once and for all its unsustainable social costs,” the association said in a statement Tuesday. the fair has been announced.
According to the non-governmental organization (NGO), this cost “would pay for at least two new airports in a suitable location with the least possible impact on public health.”
“The approximate costs accumulated over this period of 7 years and 10 months, at current prices, exceed 8.750 million euros. million euros per year, which is equivalent to more than 3.5 million euros per day,” he points out.
The estimate, provided by Zero for a total of 24 hours a day, was made using a meter on its website (https://zero.ong/), which shows in real time the accumulated damage caused to people by chronic noise exposure since 2015. when the airport was due to close, according to the Environmental Assessment Committee’s 2006 report on the development plan for this infrastructure.
According to NGOs, 380,000 residents of Lisbon, Loures and Almada suffer from excessive noise.
“Long-term exposure to aircraft noise in the affected areas of Greater Lisbon has a number of adverse health effects, including sleep disturbances that impair the quality and quantity of rest needed for healthy functioning of the body,” Zero said.
It also increases stress levels and contributes to cardiovascular problems such as hypertension and heart disease, as well as harms mental health, which can lead to anxiety disorders and depression.
Zero also recalls that aircraft noise has an impact on the real estate market in Lisbon and Loures.
“(…) Properties near an airport or along a flight route usually have lower prices compared to other areas of the city. This undervaluation of real estate assets will cost €167 million in 2019,” he explains.
In Zero’s analysis, social costs were quantified using methodology presented in international studies and supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) “dose-response relationship.”
The costs associated with sleep disturbance, discomfort, coronary heart disease, hypertension, lost productivity and undervaluation of real estate were quantified – these last two factors were not assessed by the Night Traffic Study and Evaluation Working Group.
“Zero estimates that the noise costs at Humberto Delgado Airport, calculated in accordance with WHO recommendations, will be significantly increased compared to the costs determined in accordance with national legislation,” he emphasized.
The association recalls that if the airport is closed, “irreparable losses for affected citizens will amount to several tens of millions of euros.”
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Tifany Hawkins, a professional journalist with years of experience in news reporting. I currently work for a prominent news website and write articles for 24NewsReporters as an author. My primary focus is on economy-related stories, though I am also experienced in several other areas of journalism.