United Kingdom
Rural White Paper
A Rural White Paper published by the Government has pledged that new checks for noise will be introduced in rural communities. Among the key targets are tighter controls on noise from quarrying operations and from traffic, with a commitment to resurface many major roads, especially existing concrete roads, with low noise surfaces. The long term strategy, for which GBP13 million is being made available, will include mapping the main sources and areas of noise such as major road and rail links. Mapping should be complete by 2004.
(DETR, 28 November 2000)
Noise Act
The 1996 Noise Act aimed to give local authorities more power to tackle noise nuisance from neighbours. A recent report by DETR 'A Review of the Noise Act' shows that most local authorities now have a night noise service, although only 13 have adopted the Act. A consultation paper 'Review Of The Noise Act 1996' has now been published to make the existing provisions more effective. It proposes three options: mandatory provision of an out of hours service for all authorities, active encouragement of local authorities to adopt best practices or allowing local authorities to adapt the Noise Act to local requirements.
(DETR, December 2000)
Aircraft
Measures for lower noise limits and more efficient noise monitoring of aircraft departing from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted have been announced. This should lead to small but significant reductions in noise for businesses and residents close to flight paths. However, there are no such noise limits for aircraft arriving at these airports. The initial proposals were outlined in a DETR consultation in 1997, which was challenged by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The association withdrew its application for judicial review when the Department undertook to publish a supplementary paper.
(DETR News Release, 18 December 2000)
Outdoor equipment
The draft Regulations implementing the Directive on noise emission in the environment by equipment for use outdoors (2000/14/EC) are now available, along with the consultation document and the draft Regulatory Impact Assessment. The purpose of the Directive is to control and monitor noise of equipment for use outdoors to reduce noise nuisance and to remove barriers to trade arising out of member states' different noise requirements. Manufacturers will be required to measure the sound level of 57 categories of equipment, 22 of which will have to meet limits. Each item of equipment will require labelling to show the guaranteed sound level. Comments on the draft Regulations are invited until 2 March 2001.
(DTI, December 2000)
European Union
Aircraft
The European Parliament has emphasised the urgent need for stricter limits on airport noise but has not backed specific limits proposed by the Environment Committee. The Committee had wanted a limit of 65 dB(A) for the average noise level over a 24 hour period, and a limit of 55 dB(A) at night to be enforced by 2006. It also proposed that these limits should be tightened to 56 dB(A) and 45 dB(A) by 2012, and 49 dB(A) and 40 dB(A) by 2020. The Committee's report was a response to a Commission proposal seeking to establish a common EU framework for the assessment and management of exposure to environmental noise from various sources, particularly in the transport and industry sectors. The legislation in this field is currently fragmented, with EU noise legislation regulating products like cars, trucks and aircraft while member states' laws focus on allowable noise levels in the domestic environment. Although the proposal does not include any plans for specific noise limits, the Committee has asked the Commission to submit proposals for daughter directives laying down standards for several other sources of noise including commercial vehicles, motorcycles and trains. This move was backed by Parliament.
(European Parliament Press Release, 14 December 2000)
International
Aircraft
The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a body of the UN, has refused to throw out a United States challenge to an EU regulation banning aircraft fitted with hushkits. Although these hushkits are designed to reduce the noise from older aircraft, the EU contend that the aircraft are still much more noisy and emit more pollution than newer planes. The EU banned aircraft fitted with hushkits from being registered in the EU from May 2000, and will not allow those registered in other countries after that date to fly in EU airspace after March 2002. The US is arguing that the EU regulation broke global aviation rules. ICAO will now examine the case.
(Reuters News Service, 17 November 2000)
