Josè Herrera, Minister for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change

‘Quiet areas in Europe – The environment unaffected by noise pollution’ is a very revealing 2016 EEA study which, among others, reported that the countries with the highest proportions of noisy areas are found in smaller, more densely-populated countries such as Malta, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

It notes that Malta has the lowest potential among member states to set up quiet areas in light of its population density, which the EEA marks as a strong variable, together with landscape configuration and natural elements, in determining the potential for quiet areas across Europe.

This indicates there are inherent characteristics that are hindering more silence in our country: our very own specific reality and constraints such as population density, small size, high touristic population and dense transport infrastructure.

There are different sources of noise that are regulated by the relevant authorities. It is in this light that the authorities representing different sectors of the government are implementing the relevant legislation in relation to different sources of noise in line with their remits. Legislative tools for regulating noise-related matters are various and include the Criminal Code and the Environment Protection Act.

Acknowledging the need for different regulations to cater for the different sources of noise, there seemed to be lack of governance on such matters, which could, in turn, be hindering the effectiveness of the implementation of legislation in place. It is for this reason that the government set up a non-statutory noise commission in 2016 with the aim of bringing the different regulators together and ensure better coherence and governance on how to tackle noise pollution in all its different forms across the government. The commission is made up of the regulatory bodies tasked with regulating different sources of noise, among them, the Environment and Resources Authority, the Police Commission, the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority, the Environmental Health Directorate and the Occupational Health and Safety Authority.

It is important that a collective effort is made by the different regulators

It is acknowledged that traffic is a major source of noise pollution in Malta. The environmental health inequalities assessment report, published by the Ministry for Health in collaboration with the World Health Organisation in 2013, indicates that the level of the Maltese population reporting noise problems in the neighbourhood was higher in areas with higher traffic intensity. Indeed, one of the highlighted issues that became evident when setting up the noise commission is the issue of neighbourhood noise – specifically how this is defined to be effectively regulated and controlled.

At which stage should noise from a construction site become regulated and treated as neighbourhood noise, if at all?

On what grounds can the level of music from a neighbouring dwelling be classified as going beyond the threshold that requires calling in the police to take corrective action?

All the work done to date shows that the gap is not so much in the noise-related legislation and regulation but, rather, the potentially absent coordinated mechanisms to noise mitigation and enforcement efforts. Hence, the noise commission has been mandated to chart out the most feasible way forward in controlling and mitigating noise pollution in a holistic manner. In this light, it is not being ruled out that further legislative proposals would be required, including improvements in the existing ones to provide for the appropriate mechanisms to tackle neighbourhood noise.

While work will continue on improving the coordinated approach towards addressing noise pollution, the different sectors need to continue integrating and mainstreaming noise pollution mitigation measures.

It is important that a collective effort is made by the different regulators and citizens to improve and control noise pollution and ensure that existing and future legislation can support a better quality of life in Malta and Gozo.

Simone Aquilina, Chairwoman, Wardija Administrative Council

We Maltese are a noisy bunch and the cacophony of sound that is this island is something we seem to have lived with throughout the years. There is noise coming from the huge amount of traffic on our roads, from the obscene level of building works all around us, from petards in the summer season, which have now gained prominence as a staple of showing off at weddings and from the way we seem to converse between us.

What many seem to forget is that noise above certain levels is detrimental to our health. On an island where space is so limited that one can hardly swing a cat, we fail to understand the importance peace and quiet can have on our overall health.

In fact, the Noise Abatement Society decided to bring the matter to the attention of the European Ombudsman because the relevant government authorities failed to respond to its calls regarding excessive traffic noise and road works. A spokesman for the Office of the Ombudsman said Brussels had registered an infringement complaint against the Maltese government on this issue.

The fact that we are a noisy people does not help us understand that noise can make us sick

So why are the authorities silent about noise pollution when it is a fact that noise is bad for our health and when the country could face infringement proceedings if it fails to tackle noise pollution?

There could be several reasons for this. Perhaps the fact that we are a noisy people does not help us understand that noise can make us sick. Nor do many realise that the European Union has regulations aimed at ensuring that excessive noise not conducive to good health does not adversely affect European citizens’ lives.

They might also not be aware that these same regulations are not being enforced by the local authorities to the detriment of citizens.

In other words, citizens do not realise that there is redress for excessive noise. According to the Noise Abatement Society, 79 per cent of Maltese who are victims of noise nuisance do not register a complaint.

The word enforcement seems to be a bygone word in many cases too. How many times have we read about inspections by the police to check about building works in tourist areas that are in progress outside the stipulated hours?

How can we seek redress from the authorities when the whole island is a building site and at the mercy of developers?

How can we believe the government is there for us and our health and not for those getting richer at the expense of our health?

Even local planning laws do not seem to be contributing to noise abatement, especially when one sees the building of blocks of residential apartments being approved on extremely busy main roads.

In other words, citizens have no redress when they go to the highest authorities with their excessive noise complaints. There is a certain laissez-faire about all this, which the authorities hope will sort itself out.

It was good to read that the Environment Minister summoned technical experts in the wake of the action taken by the Noise Abatement Society but this also shows the matter had to reach the European Ombudsman before the relevant authorities would take any notice.

It is high time the Environment Ministry takes the society and other citizens seriously when it comes to noise issues. The island is slowly losing its few open spaces to more and more buildings, which, apart from causing noise disturbance, also limit recreational space. The least we can ask of the government is to ensure that noise levels are respected so, at least in this cacophony of noise we call Malta, we can still enjoy a bit of respite and ensure our health does not deteriorate further.

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