Draft noise action plan published for consultation

The planning authority has issued for consultation a noise action plan that should help implement measures to reduce harmful effects of environmental sound caused by traffic.

The draft action plan, prepared over a five-year period, provides an overview of the Environment Noise Directive’s requirements and obligations together with a summary of the results of strategic noise mapping in Malta.

“The action plan’s approach is to manage and reduce environmental noise emissions and its impact at source,” the planning authority said.

However, the directive does not cover and address noise pollution at the workplace, entertainment venues or construction sites. Neither does it regulate neighbourhood, firework or consumer product noise, noise nuisance and noise transmission between buildings.

Available on the authority’s website, the draft plan was based on recommendations made by a team of noise experts commissioned to help in the directive’s implementation and who prepared the required noise maps and technical specifications for the supply of noise monitoring equipment.

Although funded by the planning authority’s funds, the noise monitoring project forms part of a larger initiative that aims to improve Malta’s environmental monitoring infrastructure and capacity in noise, water, air, radiation and soil. This wider project, worth over €4.9 million, is EU funded and is expected to be completed by July 2013.

Feedback on the draft noise action plan can be submitted by June 28 to the Waste, Air, Radiation and Noise Unit, Envi­ronment Protection Directo­­-rate, Malta Environment and Planning Authority, St Fran­-cis Ravelin, Floriana or via e-mail at noiseplan@mepa.org. mt.

The noise action plan and the strategic noise maps can be viewed at www.mepa.org.mt/ public-consultation.