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The objective of The Society shall be to represent, safeguard and promote the legitimate interests of society or individuals, so as to protect and improve their quality of life, by being enabled to live in a peaceful environment free from noise pollution.

Several pieces of legislation were introduced by the EU Commission, to reduce the harmful effect from exposure to Environmental noise . The Environmental Noise Directive (END) , was passed in 2002 .Since then, several Directives and Regulations were introduced, to reduce the harmful effect from exposure to noise.

The END focuses on four action areas:

determining exposure to environmental noise and assessing its health effects at single dwelling level
ensuring that information on environmental noise and its effects is made available to the public
preventing and reducing environmental noise
preserving environmental noise quality in areas where it is good

In order to achieve these goals, the member states have to develop strategic noise maps and noise action plans. The data is published in the EEA portal Maps and fact sheets and revised every five years.

Where the EU objectives achieved?

EU unlikely to meet noise target by 2030

Published 23 Sep 2022 Last modified 11 Apr 2023

About 18 million people suffer long-term annoyance from transport noise in the European Union (EU). The European Commission’s zero pollution action aims to reduce the number of people chronically disturbed by transport noise by 30% by 2030, compared to 2017 levels. According to the European Environment Agency’s assessment, published today, reaching this target is unlikely without further regulatory or legislative changes, mainly due to the difficulty in reducing the large number of people exposed to noise from road traffic.

https://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/eu-unlikely-to-meet-noise

A common question the NGO receives very often is “ Which are the pieces of legislation intended to manage noise?”

Noise is not managed.

The goal of noise management is to maintain low noise exposures, such that human health and well-being are protected. To achieve this goal, noise have to be measured and assessed.

BS 4142:2014+A1:2019 is the standard for measuring noise outside the residential façade and the assessment of the noise impact.

BS823:2014 give guidance about: the indoor ambient noise level and sound insulation

The ambient noise legislation does not incorporate standards for noise measurement or risk assessment. Nor standards or guidelines for the sound level inside and outside residential buildings. Noise loudness is evaluated subjectively; How loud is too loud! Hence, the risk from noise exposure cannot be assessed.

Noise Regulations:

Catering Establishments Regulations S.L. 409.15