European Commission proposes new standards for mp3 players

The European Commission has issued a mandate in which is sets out new measures designed to prevent hearing loss from the use of mp3 players.

The mandate will set new standards through which the EC proposes manufacturers have safe exposure level default settings on music players.

The EC said at 80 decibels (dB (A), exposure should be limited to 40 hours per week. At 89 dB (A) exposure should not exceed five hours a week.

However the new standards do not prescribe specific technical solutions manufacturers must use to implement these default settings.

Meglena Kuneva, EU Consumer Affairs Commissioner, said, "It's easy to push up the sound levels on your mp3 player to damagingly loud levels, especially on busy streets or public transport.

“And the evidence is that particularly young people - who are listening to music at high volumes sometimes for hours each week - have no idea they can be putting their hearing at risk.

"It can take years for the hearing damage to show, and then it is simply too late. These standards make small technical changes to players so that by default, normal use is safe.

The move to introduce new standards was prompted by research undertaken by the EU Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risk (Scenihr).

Existing EU standards currently prescribe no maximum sound limit nor require any specific labelling in respect of volume levels on mp3 players.

Although there is a requirement that a statement be put in the instruction manual to warn of the adverse effects of exposure to excessive sound level, the Commission was concerned this didn't go far enough to protect users.

It asked this independent scientific body to examine the issue hearing loss, given the widespread use by children and adolescents of personal music players.

The committee said in a report published in October 2008 that in its opinion, users of personal music players - if they listen for only five hours per week at high volume control settings (exceeding 89 decibels) - would exceed the current limits in place for noise allowed in the workplace.

Users listening for longer periods risk permanent hearing loss after five years it said. This approximates to between five and 10 per cent of the listeners, which may be between 2.5 and 10 million people in the EU.

The new standards will now be drawn up by Cenelec – the European standard setting body. It will now begin a discussion process, with scientists, industry and consumer groups as well as other stake holders.

This can take up to 24 months. At the end the new standards will be published. Although these standards are not mandatory, if the new standard is approved by the EC and published in the Official Journal of the European Union, it "de facto" becomes the industry norm.

A representative for the EC said consumers could override the default settings if they wished but they must be given clear information about the dangers if they do this.