MP3 players face noise curbs

Volume restrictions for portable music players are set to be introduced by the European Union, over fears that they could cause hearing damage, according to BBC1's Politics Show.

The EU plans a consultation early next year with a decision coming in the spring.

Stephen Russell of the European consumer lobby Anec told the Politics Show: "There are up to 10 million Europeans, mainly young people, who are at risk of losing their hearing permanently in the next five years due to their personal listening habits. The units on the market at the moment, some of them are capable of generating a volume of beyond 115 decibels; if we compare that with health and safety legislation, workers are not allowed to be exposed to that levels of volume for more than 30 seconds."

Experts in Brussels hope to impose the new maximum setting at 85 decibels. During recent tests some MP3 players were found to reach 120 decibels. No safety default level currently applies.