Environmental noise effects in residential and recreational areas

Hans Elvhammar
Ingemansson Technology
Göteborg

In the European Commission Green Paper "Future Noise Policy" (1996) is pointed out that environmental noise - caused by traffic, industrial and recreational activities - is one of the main local environmental problems in Europe and the source of an increasing number of complaints from the public. In spite of this, actions to reduce environmental noise levels have had lower priority compared to actions against e. g. air and water problems.

It is estimated that around 20% of the population in the European Union or about 80 million people suffer from unacceptable noise levels, where

· people become annoyed

· sleep is disturbed

· adverse health effects are to be feared.

The situation is alarming

The outdoor noise situation in central Europe is in general so annoying that people are requiring drastic measures to reduce noise exposure in residential areas but also in areas for recreational purposes. The most obvious signs of the ongoing activities are the noise screening walls kilometer after kilometer - along the motorways. Fortunately, these passive solutions are combined with active solutions to reduce the noise emission from cars, trucks and buses, from leisure boats and snow mobiles, from construction sites and industries etc.

In Europe as well as in USA, Australia and New Zeeland there is a growing awareness that the development against a noisier world has to be tumed. One important instrument is Land Use Planning.

EC writes in the Green Paper: Land Use Planning procedures ... are a key tool for noise abatement to ensure separation of dwellings and other noise sensitive buildings from noise souces, and further:

Land Use Planning can include: restricting the siting of new noise generators such as traffic routes or industrial installations in order to protect existing developments ... and to preserve other low noise areas.

One factor which is very much discussed today, is to conserve "natural quiet" for the benefit of present and future generations. This seems to be too late in many countries.

The importance of preserving quiet areas

"Noise" is defined as unwanted sound - pleasant sounds may therefore be strong but yet acceptable.

"Natural quiet" is absence of mechanical noise, but containing the sounds of nature (such as wind, streams and wildlife).

In U.S. National Parks - the visitor's vehicles and aircraft overflights are endangering the environment. E. g. The Grand Canyon National Park is overflown by more than 100 000 tour aircraft every year so more than 70% of the park area has a potential noise problem. Many park administrations are therefore now taking measures to restrict vehicle and airtraffic in an attempt to reduce noise.

Large parts of countries as Germany, Holland and Belgium etc are today lacking natural quiet and it is apparent that birds' song is affected by traffic noise: they change the characteristic melody of the species. Here in the Nordic countries we have still got the chance to preserve large quiet areas but we have to start now.

Example: The Swedish National Road. Adminstration has started investigations to find out where "quiet areas" are to be found in southem Sweden. All types of noise sourees in the surroundings are included in measurements and predictions. The purpose of finding these areas is to prevent noise emission from new roads and other sources to destroy the environmental quality.

"Quiet area" is defined as the area where the ambient average noise level is not exceeding 30 dBA over a period of time, e. g. a year.

Authority requirements on noise

Examples on requirements on environmental noise in some different European countries will be discussed. In most countries the noise levels in residential areas shall not exceed 40 dBA during night, in recreation araes not 35 dBA.

Land Use Planning

Some practical examples on Land Use Planning will be presented with respect to noise level requirements for residential and recreational areas:

Examples: 1. A process industry in Denmark is located in the countryside at a large distance from summerhouses at the coast. Requirements for 35 dBA maximum noise levels has forced the industry to take powerful actions on equipment. A new installation has been designed to reach incredibly low 25 dBA which has been fulfilled. Costs and technical complexity were reasonable.

2. A new paper mill in Sweden was established in a rural area. In order to avoid noise problems it is located at 1000 m distance from residential houses. 40 dBA during day and night is the requirement which is fulfilled.

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