Audiological diseases due to continuous exposure to noise at work are among the main occupational pathologies in our country, according to data from the Superintendence of Social Security.
The WHO recommends a limit of 65 decibels to ensure good health and well-being of people, while Chilean regulations allow up to 85 decibels in eight-hour workdays, which is not always complied with.
A study by the Institute of Public Health and the Ministry of Health revealed that in areas such as construction and mining, levels exceed the legal limit by more than 52%, increasing the risk of hearing loss among workers.
Faced with this problem, the University of Santiago de Chile is working on an innovation to reduce noise in offices and industries, through the R&D project “Recycled plastic acoustic resonator for workspaces,” led by Dr. Hugo Perez, academic and researcher at the Laboratory of Exploration in Environmental Architectural Materials (Lemaa), Faculty of Architecture and Built Environment.
The initiative is financed by ANID and has the collaboration of the associated companies Desafío Ambiente and Sonoflex, and the company Plásticos JH. Its execution is supported by the Office of Technology Management (DGT) of the Vice Rector's Office for Research, Innovation and Creation (Vriic).
“Our goal is to generate an efficient and sustainable solution that controls noise in these environments, helping to improve working conditions and care for the hearing health of those who work there,” says Dr. Hugo Pérez. To this end, the development of an acoustic resonator was proposed to be integrated into ceilings and walls, which is capable of absorbing medium and low frequencies and controlling reverberation. “We want to make it out of recycled plastic, and for it to be recyclable as well,” he says.
To achieve this goal, the research team has worked with polypropylene (PP) waste available on the market and with production capacities distributed between the Lemaa laboratory and the companies.
One of the advances achieved was the design of a prototype with a perforated diffuser casing filled with absorbent thermally bonded fiber. By 2025, there are plans to build the resonator and validate its effectiveness under industrial conditions.Vinculación estratégica con la industria
The collaborative work with private companies “has been fundamental for the design and manufacture of the resonator components," emphasizes Dr. Pérez. He explains that with Desafío Ambiente they have been able to develop the thermoligated fiber from PP waste, while Plásticos PH will manufacture the casing, also with the same material. Meanwhile, the acoustic validation of both products will be carried out by Sonoflex.
The companies also value the alliance with the Usach. For María José Vargas, co-founder of Desafío Ambiente, the experience has given them “the opportunity to continue innovating with new developments, bringing new products to the market. And we are not doing this alone, but with the great support of the University, through the Lemaa Laboratory.”
Rodrigo Osorio, technical manager of Sonoflex, states that there is a great potential to raise this type of products in Chile, where “the universities with their research teams are the most appropriate actors to lead these initiatives,” and business support is “crucial, as we have a close knowledge of consumer needs”. He adds that “our intention is to guarantee that the development has a clear purpose and a space in the market, ensuring that it is really used.”
Cristián Hernández, commercial manager of Plásticos JH, emphasizes that this collaboration opens up other “possibilities for productive diversification, as we are able to take on new challenges related to recycling and revaluation of plastic.” It has also allowed them to “broaden our vision of the market, to see where we can go and what strategies can be rethought with new challenges," he points out.
Finally, the researcher points out that “with this innovation we hope to have an impact on the construction of quality spaces that are more sustainable and friendly for labor wellbeing and human health.”