New Noise Control Act: Minister explains what follows after citizens file a complaint
Certified individuals, such as communal policemen or environmental inspectors, will measure noise levels at the citizens' requests, Minister Goran Trivan claims
Source: Tanjug
If they measure the illicit level of noise on the spot, they will be entitled to close the facility immediately, the Minister of Environmental Protection added on the news to the amendments to the Noise Control Act which is under preparation.
"It will be the only convincing way to protect people from noise", Trivan said, explaining that inspectors will have special devices that can measure noise on site.
"The law will be changed so that, unlike previous practice, inspectors, whatever their capacity is, whether it is communal militia or environmental inspectors, will be certified as individuals which will allow them to measure noise, whereas so far only institutions were entitled to measure it”, Trivan tells Tanjug.
He stated that the current law was not precise or clear enough, without providing instruments to protect citizens from noise.
Minister noted that a certain period would be left for the acoustic insulation of the facilities to be carried out, so that their owners could continue with their activities, but that they would not be allowed to endanger their neighborhood with it.
He emphasized that noise is an acute problem and a chronic one in populated areas.
"We are not aware of how much noise affects our lives and especially at those places where there is extremely high noise during the day, while at night, citizens cannot sleep and live normally", Trivan said. Asked about traffic noise and whether new legal solutions to noise control would also protect citizens living next to the highway, Trivan said that traffic noise in the cities presents a complex problem that should be addressed in another way. "First, there are sound barriers, then the type of asphalt, that is, the pavement, the type of tires we use, including the type of engine which is also important", Trivan said, noting that this complex problem in the West is being addressed in that way.
Prior to joining the Ministry of the Environmental Protection, Trivan was the city's secretary for the environment, and as he said, Belgrade's citizens mostly complain about noise from coffee shops and restaurants, but also about noise at major traffic intersections.
"We really face with a serious noise at traffic intersections, not to mention the tunnel, Despot Stefan Street, the center of Zemun and those points in Belgrade where there are most places that make noise with music", Trivan says.
The Secretariat of the Environmental Protection tells Tanjug that they are implementing a program for measuring environmental noise in Belgrade, so that measurements were carried out at 35 measuring points, in two cycles, in spring and summer season.
The highest values were measured during the summer season when outdoor music is present, such as concerts, loud music from the café and river gardens, but also during the winter from indoor venues, cafes and nightclubs.
ity
Measuring results are available on the City of Belgrade's website.
For example, for the rest and recreation areas, hospital zones and spas, cultural and historical sites and large parks, the maximum permissible external noise level during the day amounts to 50 decibels, and 40 decibels during the night.
For residential areas, maximum permissible external noise level for the day is 55 decibels, and for the night, it is 45 decibels, while, for instance, for city center, or a commercial and administrative areas with apartments, an area along highways, highway and city traffic, maximum permissible external noise level for the day amounts to 65 decibels, and for the night - 55 decibels.
