For the first time, the EC is tackling environmental noise pollution on a broader scale, Tina Garrity reports

Up until now EU legislation on noise has focused on two main areas - noise at work and noise from specific products, eg outdoor equipment.(1) The green paper on future noise policy which was published in 1996 (see EHJ, January 1997, page 17) paved the way for legislation covering the broader noise environment and the Commission has now published a draft directive on the assessment and management of environmental noise.

Scope and definitions
Despite its broad title, the directive would actually focus mainly on transport noise. It would not cover noise from domestic activities, noise from neighbours, noise at work or noise produced inside means of transport. Its principal stated objectives are to define a common approach to noise across the member states by developing common methods for the assessment of environmental noise and by ensuring that information on environmental noise is made available to the public. It requires action to be taken to reduce noise where necessary and to maintain noise quality where it is good.

The draft text defines "environmental noise" as:
unwanted or harmful sound created by human activity outdoors, including noise emitted by means of transport and from industrial sites or industrial buildings.

It defines "harmful effects" as:
negative effects on human health; examples are noise-induced annoyance, (annoyance meaning "the degree of community annoyance as determined by means of field surveys") sleep disturbance, interference with communication, negative effects on learning, hearing loss, stress and hypertension.

Noise map
By the end of 2004 member states would have to produce noise maps showing the situation in the preceding calendar year for all agglomerations with more than 250,000 inhabitants and for all major roads, major railways and major airports. By the end of 2009 maps would be required for agglomerations with over 100,000 inhabitants. Annex IV of the draft directive sets out the requirements for these maps.

Under the directive the Commission would be able to draw up guidance on noise mapping. Noise maps would have to be made available to the public on-line, or published in some other suitable way within two months of approval by the competent authority and would have to be re-made every five years.

Action plans
Action plans for the agglomerations and transport links outlined above would have to be drawn up showing information such as an analysis of the health situation based on the noise maps and the dose-effect relations and any problems identified.

Plans would have to quote noise measures already in place and any actions proposed for the next five years, including actions to maintain relatively quiet areas. Information on issues such as budgets and long-term strategies would be required, as well as any cost/effectiveness or cost/benefit assessments.

Annex V which lists the components of the action plans, says that actions may include things such as land use planning, technical measures such as road surfaces, traffic planning, reduction of sound transmission (eg noise barriers), licences, public campaigns, noise monitoring and financial deterrents. Plans would have to indicate the expected benefits of such actions. Before being approved, the plans would have to go out to public consultation and, once approved, they would have to be published on-line.

Member states would have to send noise maps and action plan summaries to the Commission, which in turn would have to set up a data bank of information from the maps. A summary report of maps and plans would be published by Brussels every five years.

Noise indicators
The directive would generally require the use of Lden and Lnight, both for the noise maps required under the directive and in any new or revised legislation on strategic noise mapping, acoustical planning or noise zoning and in any revision. Details of the indicators are given in annex I to the proposal. Special indicators would be permitted in some circumstances, eg where the noise source operated for only a short time. Annex II to the proposal sets out the common assessment methods to be used in applying the directive.

COM (2000) 468 final. Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise.
http://europa.eu.int/eurlex/en/com/pdf/2000/com2000_0468en01.pdf

(1) A new directive covering noise from outdoor equipment was published in May this year to replace a number of existing equipment product specific directives. The new directive covers all sorts of equipment from builders hoists to concrete breakers and tower cranes. It sets out permissible sound levels for new equipment placed on the market from 3 January 2002 with lower limits applying from 3 January 2006. Directive 2000/14/EC... noise emission in the environment by equipment for use outdoors. OJ L 162. 03.07.00. pp 1-78