The roaring of traffic, the construction industry’s mind-numbing hammering and loud music is the sort of noise that bothers people most, according to a study commissioned by a new lobby group.
The Noise Abatement Society of Malta, officially launched yesterday, said its research showed 92 per cent of the Maltese were annoyed by too much noise and 95 per cent believed not enough was being done to make Malta quieter.
The same number of people believed excessive sounds were damaging to hearing and 92 per cent thought noise damaged overall health.
Society chairman John Fenech said the society would lobby to raise more awareness about the health hazards posed by excessive noise and try to encourage the authorities to take action.
Apart from the fact that loud noises could damage people’s hearing, he said, there were other health repercussions as constant noise made people irritable, affected sleep and well-being and diminished work performance. The society was calling for better sound-level monitoring and suggested local councils be given the authority to tackle complaints.
As things stood, he said, there were no set limits on noise and the law courts were inconsistent when deciding on whether or not certain noises disturbed the peace.
A 17-year-old drummer was on Thursday fined €50 and stopped from practising in the basement of his Rabat home after a magistrate ruled he was annoying neighbours.
Mr Fenech explained that the only sound limitations were related to the law governing construction, laying down that between 2 and 4 p.m. noise levels could not exceed 65 decibels.
He said research showed that when noise exceeded 85 decibels over eight hours it would be damaging to people’s hearing. Any instant noise over 120 decibels was also damaging.
To put things into perspective, the average sound of someone speaking was about 50 to 60 decibels, he said.
Turning to the study, in which 303 people were handed a questionnaire in Valletta, Sliema and Qormi, results showed that 37 per cent of respondents were annoyed daily by some form of noise with 25 per cent experiencing the nuisance more than once a week.
Most people, 47 per cent, were annoyed during the day, 31 per cent both day and night and 22 per cent at night.
Only 21 per cent formally complained about excessive noise. Most, 45 per cent, went to the police, 35 per cent complained to the source and 20 per cent went to the local council.
Of the 79 per cent who never complained formally about too much noise, 31 per cent said they believed there was no effective enforcement, 19 per cent were not bothered and 13 per cent did not know where to direct their complaint.