Light Pollution

[Anchor Lead]

Maintaining a cool, dark environment is essential for a good night's sleep. But a growing number of people cannot sleep well at night due to the light pollution emitted by the lights of the city. Here’s more.

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This man has covered all the windows in his studio apartment with sticker sheets. He says he cannot sleep well because of the many lights outside. He can't even think of opening the windows when it's hot.

[Soundbite] Lee Jun-sang(Resident) : "I wish I could open my windows, because it's too hot. But I can't."

This apartment building is located across the street from a commercial district. The bright lighting is reflected in the apartment windows. In severe cases, light pollution caused by excessive artificial lighting can cause cancer.

[Soundbite] Cho Yong-won(Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center) : "When people are exposed to too much light, the risk of cancer soars. It has detrimental effects on health and hampers sleep cycles."

The number of complaints associated with light pollution more than doubled from 2,800 in 2012 to more than 6,900 last year. To reduce light pollution, the government has designated light pollution control areas that are currently monitored by local governments. But such areas only exist in Seoul and Gwangju.

[Soundbite] Prof. Kim Hyun-ji(Kangwon National University) : "Designating light pollution control areas to keep light pollution under control is the most urgent task."

Reckless artificial lighting in big cities further undermines the quality of sleep during tropical nights.