Final answer:
The main environmental cause of later-life hearing impairments is exposure to noise. Regular exposure to loud music or construction equipment can lead to sensorineural hearing loss.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main environmental cause of later-life hearing impairments is exposure to noise. Regular exposure to loud music or construction equipment can lead to sensorineural hearing loss. Listening to loud sounds can damage the tiny hair cells lining the cochlea, which do not regenerate once they are destroyed.