The Malta Environment and Planning Authority is working on a project which would enable Malta to have national noise maps available by the second quarter of next year.
These maps, which are being prepared by a team of noise experts, will reflect the measurement of ambient noise in strategic locations around the Maltese islands.
Mepa said in a statement the work on the preparation of the noise maps was delayed due to the reissuing of a tender issued in March last year as none of the bidders were compliant with the tender requirements.
The tender was then re-issued in August and the project started last April 2010.
Over the next few months, the contracted team of experts will draw up a strategy for monitoring of ambient noise and a series of technical specifications for specialised monitoring equipment which will be procured at a later stage with the help of EU funds.
The consultants will recommend appropriate actions and measures to be taken to reach appropriate levels of ambient noise in the established noise zones.
This entire exercise will be concluded by the second quarter of 2011, making Malta fully compliant with the Environment Noise Directive.
The directive requires member states to produce noise maps and action plans for urban areas, road traffic, railways and major airports.
It does not require the states to assess noise generated by other activities, such as those that may arise from construction works and outdoor entertainment.
In addition to the requirements of the directive, Mepa also included conditions related to noise in permits and addressed issues related to noise pollution through land use planning, including through the environmental impact assessment process.
Noise will also be one of the policy areas which will be addressed in Malta’s national Environmental Policy.
The noise monitoring project forms part of a larger initiative which aims to enhance Malta’s environmental monitoring infrastructure and capacity in the areas of noise, water, air, radiation and soil.
This larger project, worth over €4.9 million, is co-funded by the EU's European Regional Development fund and the Maltese government under Malta’s Operational Programme I, 'Investing in Competitiveness for a Better Quality of life'.
The project started in January and is expected to be completed before July 2013. Although the current noise monitoring and mapping exercise commissioned by Mepa is funded by the authority’s own funds, the actual monitoring equipment and noise mapping software that will be purchased at the later stage will be co-financed by the EU.