14% - Ministerio del Medio Ambiente

Noise is an invisible pollutant
Chapter 4
Noise
1] Background: The Noise Issue
169
2] Diagnosis: Noise in Chile
171
3] Noise Causes and Perception
177
3] Actions to Address the Noise Issue 181
170
capítulo 4 ruido
Noise is an invisible pollutant
169
Introduction
Abstract
Noise is an invisible contaminant that produces different
effects on health, affecting people’s quality of life.
Although significant progress has been made in Chile in
the management of noise control, it is still necessary to
strengthen the regulatory framework and the generation of
information, as well as dissemination and education actions.
Background:
The Noise Issue 1
Noise refers to any sound qualified as disturbing, unwanted, or inappropriate
by the person who perceives it.
In contrast to other contaminants, noise does not produce any waste, nor
does it have any flavor, smell, texture or color, therefore it is usually called
an invisible contaminant. Its scope or impact is limited to the characteristics
of the source generating it and to the environment where it propagates.
Noise is a direct consequence of any human activity and has significant
effects on people’s health, beyond those exclusively related to hearing. It is
a significant stress-inducing agent, it makes communication and learning
processes more difficult, it affects the recovery of patients, rest, and sleep,
among many other effects that, in fact, progressively affect the quality of life
of the population exposed.
The level of noise to which a person is exposed to will depend on his or her
environment. However, the most aggressive and generalized acoustic surroundings are a direct result of human activity and, thus, their most important
manifestation is seen where those activities are located, such as large cities.
In this context, the challenge is to ensure that these activities, necessary in
a city, do not affect the health and quality of its residents’ lives.
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170
fig.
chapter 4 noise
Noise Measurement
1
Decibel Chart
Source: Own elaboration.
Plane
taking off
140dB
100 mts.
Rock
concert
120dB
Pneumatic
100dB
drill
Vehicle Traffic
80dB
Noise is generally measured in a unit known as decibel, which is a mathematical logarithmic relationship, where an increase of 3 dB means that the sound
energy increases to double that amount.
The population, in general, is exposed to noise levels ranging from 35 to 85
dBA. In a normal noise environment, below 45 dBA, no one usually experiences
any annoyance, which tends to appear once the level reaches 85 dBA. Because
of this, the threshold where annoyance begins for humans is located between
60 and 65 dBA for daytime noise. For example, in a library environment there is
40 dBA, a loud conversation one meter away records 70 dBA, transit on a hectic
street is easily over 85 dBA on the curb, and a plane taking off at a distance of
70 meters reaches 120 dBA (Bruel and Kjaer, 1984).
At an international level, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) and the European Union (EU) recommend maximum limits
of environmental noise. Both organizations make distinctions between day and
night, based on standards representing an average of existing environmental
noise for each of the those periods.
Maximum Values of Environmental Noise
Table 1
Recommended by the OECD and the EU
OECD – EU Recommendations
LD
60 dB
Conversation
40dB
in a
Forest
20 dB
1] Lnight,outside is the indicator for
night noise (Lnight) of the Directive
2002/49/EC from 25 June 2002.
LN
Day
65 dBA
Night
55 dBA
Note:
LD: Equivalent continuous sound pressure level during the day.
LN: Equivalent continuous sound pressure level during the night.
Source: CONAMA, 2009.
These values represent referential standards that enable the development
of a common environmental indicator, in order to compare progress in terms
of the management of environmental noise control in the member countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a study on night noise
and its health consequences -the Night Noise Guidelines for Europe (NNG,
2009)-, in which it indicates that for the primary prevention of adverse subclinical effects on human health, related to night noise, it is recommended that
the population should not be exposed to night noise levels higher than 40 dB
Lnight, outside1, when most people are asleep. The document also states that
this value can be considered as a threshold value for night noise guidelines,
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which are necessary to protect the population, including the most vulnerable
groups such as children, chronic patients and the elderly, from the adverse
health effects of night noise.
It is worth noting that the recommendation by the WHO is based exclusively
on health criteria. However, it indicates that for sectors where it is not possible to meet that goal in the short term, higher levels can be considered only
temporarily and with a maximum of 55 dB.
Diagnosis:
Noise in Chile 2
In order to perform an effective control of environmental noise, it is necessary
to have quantifiable and objective information available. It is particularly important to know the current situation of urban areas and to set objectives, as well
as to define and apply environmental noise prevention and control programs,
according to the local situation in each city.
The Baseline study on the generation of noise levels in the Greater Santiago
area was carried out in 1989, in the Metropolitan Region, at the request of the
Metropolitan Intendence, with the aim of assessing and analyzing external
community noise, in an area covering about 280 km2. Approximately 3 million
people lived in this spatial coverage, distributed in 180 census districts —according to data gathered from the 1982 population census, corresponding to 23
communes of the Metropolitan Region­—. The study detected the areas where
the sound situation presented higher noise levels. At the same time, it enabled
the identification of the population exposed to urban noise, considering national
and international regulations.
This study was updated by the Metropolitan Health Service for the Environment (SESMA, by its acronym in Spanish) in 2001. One of the outstanding
findings was that the application of the sleep disturbance criteria of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States revealed that in the
study area there was no place without risk of sleep disturbance.
noise chapter 4
chapter 4 noise
172
Quilicura
1989
Sleep Disturbance Risk Map,
Greater Santiago Area
1989-2001.
Huechuraba
Vitacura
Conchalí
fig.
Renca
Recoleta
2
Independencia
Las Condes
Sources: Intendence 1989,
SESMA, 2001.
Cerro Navia
Quinta
Normal
Providencia
Pudahuel
La Reina
Lo Prado
Santiago
Ñuñoa
Estación Central
Macul
Pedro
Agrirre Cerda
San Miguel
Maipú
Peñalolén
San
Joaquín
Cerrillos
Sleep Disturbance Risk (EPA)
Lo Espejo
La Florida
San
Ramón
Above the criterion: Leq
Night between 50 dBA
and 60 dBA
Above the criterion: Leq
Night between 60 dBA
and 70 dBA
La Granja
La Cisterna
Below the criterion: Leq
Night below 50 dBA
San Bernardo
La Pintana
El Bosque
2001
Quilicura
Huechuraba
Above the criterion: Leq
Night over 70 dBA
Vitacura
Conchalí
Renca
Recoleta
Independencia
Las Condes
Cerro Navia
Quinta
Normal
Providencia
Pudahuel
La Reina
Lo Prado
Santiago
Ñuñoa
Estación Central
Macul
Pedro
Agrirre Cerda
San Miguel
Maipú
Peñalolén
San
Joaquín
Cerrillos
“The maps published in this report
that refer to or are related to limits or
boundaries of Chile do not commit the
State of Chile in any way, according
to Article 2, letter g of the Decree
with Force of Law N° 83 of 1979 of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The
Cartographic information is based
on Datum WGS84 and it is mearly
referential”.
Lo Espejo
La Granja
La Cisterna
San
Ramón
La Florida
San Bernardo
El Bosque
La Pintana
According to the updated results (2001), 0.7 percent of the population (18,691 people)
lives in places where the standard is surpassed by up to 10 dBA, 72.9 percent of the
population (2,005,761 people) is located in sites where the standard is surpassed by
up to 20 dBA, and 25.8 percent (710,265 people) lives in places where the standard is
surpassed by more than 20 dBA.
173
The findings of these studies show that while the population being studied
grew 1.9 percent, 37 percent of it saw its contamination increased and only
1.5 percent saw it reduced. Moreover, only 16.3 percent of the population
presents no risk of hearing loss (EPA criteria, USA). Likewise, there is no population in the area of study whose housing is located in a suitable sector,
according to the recorded noise levels (HUD, Department of Housing and
Urban Development, USA).
In 2007, Chile decided to create Noise Maps as a diagnosis tool. These
maps provide valuable information on the real noise levels present in a city
or a sector of it. They also help to identify problem areas in order to guide
prevention and control measures, such as: Promoting the creation of a noise
quality standard; highlight noise as a variable for decision making in territorial
planning instruments; or promoting the application of criteria on acoustic isolation during the building process. The periodic use of this tool is compulsory
for cities of the European Community; however, in Latin America there are no
noise modelling studies for large cities.
Predictive models are used for noise mapping, based on methods for calculating noise emission and propagation. Even though the use of models requires
making some measurements to calibrate them, a computing tool gives the
advantage of being able to analyze future scenarios in a simple manner and
cover large spatial extensions.
To date, noise maps have been made for the communes of Antofagasta and
Providencia (2009), as pilot cases, and Santiago (2010).
According to the Noise Map of Antofagasta, 42 percent and 78 percent of the city
area exceeds these recommendations for night and day, respectively (Figure 3).
In the case of Providencia (CONAMA, 2009), approximately 32 percent of
its area is over 65 dBA during the day and 64 percent is over 55 dBA at night,
which are the maximum recommended limits, not only by the OECD but also
by the EU (Figure 4).
Likewise, and in terms of its surface, the Noise Map of the Santiago Co-mmune
reports 54 percent over 65 dBA during the day, while 60 percent is over 55 dBA
at night (Figure 5, excerpt from the Noise Map of the Santiago Commune).
It is worth noting that the noise maps have been created considering the
exclusive contribution of vehicle traffic, leaving out other noise sources. This
is explained by the fact that the existing noise in the city, urban noise, is
mostly produced by this traffic. Other sources do coexist, but they are generally masked by traffic.
Because of that, characterizing this single source not only makes modelling
work easier, but also helps to obtain a situation very close to reality, which
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chapter 4 noise
has been ratified by specific measurements that validate the method.
Map results should be interpreted considering different factors, for instance,
in terms of the sensitivity of existing activities in those areas above the recommended standards. That is, the seriousness of sound situation in an area will
depend on the time of exposure and the degree of compatibility of an activity in
relation to noise. Therefore, those areas with high noise levels are not compatible with sensitive activities such as hospitals, schools and libraries, but they
can be with commercial or industrial activities. Incompatibility is linked to the
extent of interference caused by noise in the normal development of an activity.
In spite of these studies, in general there is a complete lack of information
on the noise levels present in Chilean cities. Moreover, there are no source
registries or emission inventories. Furthermore, the size of the population potentially affected by this contaminant is unknown. There are only studies for
Santiago and basic diagnoses in some cities of the country, which, besides being
insufficient, have applied different methodologies, which makes it impossible
to compare their results.
It is worth noting that the creation of the Noise Map of the Greater Santiago
area by modelling had begun in 2011, covering a geographical extension that
encompasses the Santiago province, as well as the Puente Alto and San Bernardo
communes, with a total of 34 communes. Based on this research, and through
close cooperation and collaboration with the Ministry of Transportation and
Telecommunications, mechanisms will be defined to replicate this initiative in
the most important urban centers of the country, in order to obtain noise maps
of the main city in each region with periodic updates.
Antofagasta
fig.
3
Noise Map Antofagasta
Commune, 2009
Note: Maps in Figures 3, 4 and
5 represent the LDN parameter,
which corresponds to the
average noise value for a 24hour period, and a correction
factor for the night hours.
Source: Own elaboration, based
on CONAMA, 2009.
i
gu
áte
un
Am
Lord Cochrane
calada
Blanco En
g
Ar
a
in
t
en
Linares
The pictures show the overlapping
of noise maps obtained through
predictive models on images
sourced from the Google Earth free
application.
Providencia Commune
fig.
4
rop
Eu
a
Carlo
únez
s Ant
ivia
ro d
d
e
P
ald
eV
Noise Map Providencia
Commune, 2009
Source: Own elaboration,
based on CONAMA, 2009.
..˂= 35.0 dBA
35.0 ˂... ˂=40.0
40.0 ˂... ˂=45.0
45.0 ˂... ˂=50.0
50.0 ˂... ˂=55.0
55.0 ˂... ˂=60.0
60.0 ˂... ˂=65.0
65.0 ˂... ˂=70.0
70.0 ˂... ˂=75.0
75.0 ˂... ˂=80.0
80.0 ˂... ˂=85.0
dBA
dBA
dBA
dBA
dBA
dBA
dBA
dBA
dBA
dBA
Santiago Commune
Noise Map Santiago
Commune, 2010
5
San
ta L
ucía
Source: Own elaboration
based on Ministerio del
Medio Ambiente, 2010.
fig.
iggins
ardo O`H
rtador Bern
ucía
dBA
dBA
dBA
dBA
dBA
dBA
dBA
dBA
dBA
dBA
ta L
..˂= 35.0 dBA
35.0 ˂... ˂=40.0
40.0 ˂... ˂=45.0
45.0 ˂... ˂=50.0
50.0 ˂... ˂=55.0
55.0 ˂... ˂=60.0
60.0 ˂... ˂=65.0
65.0 ˂... ˂=70.0
70.0 ˂... ˂=75.0
75.0 ˂... ˂=80.0
80.0 ˂... ˂=85.0
gon
al P
ara
gua
San
Libe
Dia
y
177
Noise Causes and
Perception 3
As mentioned above, noise is defined as any sound qualified as annoying,
disturbing or inappropriate by whoever perceives it. This qualification varies
from person to person, and even for the same person at different times. A
simple example is music, which for one person can be pleasant while for
other receptors annoying. Furthermore, the same person who likes music
may consider it unpleasant when wanting to rest. This qualification, assign-ed by each individual when interacting with the objective world of sound,
corresponds to the subjective component of noise and is called perception.
Noise Sources
The main sources of noise in urban areas are currently linked to means of
transportation of people and goods, with vehicular traffic as the most outstanding. This situation is based not only on the dramatic increase in the vehicle
fleet during recent years, but also on the fact that, in general, cities in which
these vehicles circulate have not been designed to hold them.
The basic level of sound emissions of vehicle circulation is determined by
the noise of engines and exhaust devices. Another source of vehicle noise is
that of the tires in contact with the pavement, which quickly becomes louder
as speed increases. For light vehicles, tires and surfaces are the main noise
sources at speeds of over 60 km/h (37 mph).
In urban areas, one of the relevant factors affecting sound emissions is
driving behavior. Sudden accelerations and the increase of engine rotation in
dense traffic situations can emit up to 15 dBA above regular emission levels
derived from more passive driving (Commission of the European Communities, 1996).
Besides vehicle traffic noise, railway and aircrafts also produce high noise
levels, but for short periods. Likewise, noise from industrial facilities, workshops
or construction sites, called stationary sources, generally have a localized
impact on their neighboring environment.
noise chapter 4
178
Noise Sourcess
chapter 4 noise
fig.
6
Stationary Sources
Mobile Sources
Linear
Sources
Noisy Behavior
Among Neighbors
Airport
However, transport and industrial facilities are not the only current causes
of the sound situation in cities. Human activity, as a result of the increase in
population density, also contributes to rising sound levels in urban centers,
particularly in areas with night entertainment, especially during weekends.
Complaints against noise
In Chile, research has been carried out in order to determine the community
perception of noise in some cities. In Talcahuano (1997), vehicle traffic is considered the most significant source of noise in the commune.
Later studies from 1999-2000 in Valparaíso, Iquique and Temuco yielded similar
data in terms that traffic is considered the most relevant noise source, along
with the noise generated by people (neighbors). In these three cities, over 60
percent of interviewees declared to be annoyed by noise.
In Valdivia (2000) more than 90 percent of the population considers that the
noise has a medium to high influence in its quality of life. On the other hand,
the result of a survey carried out in the Providencia commune in 2004 showed
that ambient noise is qualified by neighbors as the main environmental problem.
Based on a public consultation conducted by CONAMA during 2009 of noise
complaints received in 2007-2008 by the municipalities of the main cities of
the country, it was determined that most of these complaints correspond to
behavioral issues, such as private parties, followed by stationary sources, as
shown in Figure 7.
Noise Sources with More Complaints
Source: Own elaboration, based on data
from a consultation carried out by CONAMA
in 2009 to municipalities in the country.
fig.
7
56%
30%
Behavioral
Stationary
14%
Other
Vehicle
Traffic
Outdoor
Markets
Events in
Public
Places
Other
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Actions to Address the
Noise Issue
Since the promulgation of the Environmental Framework Law N° 19.300,
noise is defined as a contaminating element and different instruments are
established in order to begin managing ambient noise control. In this context,
dissemination and awareness actions have been designed on this issue, as
well as regulations aimed at preventing and controlling environmental noise.
These regulations have enabled establishing corrective measures, which also
contribute to prevention due to their required compliance within the Environmental Impact Assessment System.
The regulatory framework for ambient noise, to date, only has two environmental emission standards:
π Supreme Decree N° 146/97 MINSEGPRES - Standard for Annoying Noise Emission generated by Stationary Sources. It establishes maximum permissible
limits, differentiated by night and day periods, and depending on the area
where the noise receptor is located. This standard operates by complaint
and is included in the evaluations of the Environmental Impact Assessment
System (SEIA). It is in the revision stage.
π Supreme Decree N° 129/02 MINTRATEL - Standard for Noise Emission by Urban
and Rural Public Buses. This regulation sets standards for entry-level and
later control through technical inspections. When it entered into force, it
was also applied to existing buses.
It is worth noting that there are two standards currently being developed:
π Standard for Noise Emission by Construction Activities. This includes preventive requirements, such as a work plan to reduce potential disturbances.
π Standard for Noise Emission from Light and Medium Vehicles and Motorcycles.
Similar to the bus noise standard. Requirements will be established for
their entrance into the vehicle fleet and controls in technical inspections.
It is also important to highlight that the environmental management tools
4
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established in Law N° 19.300 do not include a regulation linked to the noise receptor, which would enable, for example, to set minimum values for acoustic quality
for buildings. In order to achieve this, the National Institute of Standardization
(INN, by its acronym in Spanish) was asked to create a technical regulation, non
environmental and referential in nature. This standard acknowledges the need
for sound isolation in the facades of residential buildings, taking into account
the existing noise in the place in which it is intended to be built.
π NCh 352/1. Of. 2000 – Sound Isolation – Part 1: Constructions for residential
use -Minimum requirements and trials (2000). Although this is not an official standard, it is almost exclusively used as
reference, since its application is not explicit in the General Urbanism and
Constructions Ordinance (OGUC, by its acronym in Spanish). Because of this,
a coordination work has begun with the Ministry of Housing and Urbanism,
aimed at promoting the application of the standard as part of the Ordinance
framework, in order to establish sound isolation requirements.
Another important regulation, due to its direct application at the local level,
is that of municipal ordinances. On this topic, a thorough revision has been
made of these instruments, as well as the attributions of Municipalities. As a
result, it is expected to obtain a Municipal Noise Ordinance Model, with the
objective of having a single and technically valid document, that can later be
made available to municipalities, within the framework of the Municipal Environmental Certification System, which is being developed by the Ministry of
the Environment.
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References
Bruel & Kjaer, 1984. Measuring Sound, Naerum. Denmark.
Comisión de las Comunidades Europeas, 1996. Libro verde de la Comisión Europea, política futura de acción contra el ruido. Brussels, Belgium.
Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/noise/pdf/com_96_540.pdf
Comisión Nacional del Medio Ambiente (CONAMA), 2009. Estudio
elaboración de mapas de ruido mediante software de modelación para caso
piloto (comunas de Antofagasta y Providencia). Santiago, Chile: CONAMA.
Intendencia Región Metropolitana, 1989. Estudio base Generación de
niveles de ruido. Santiago, Chile.
Ministerio del Medio Ambiente (MMA), 2010. Elaboración de Mapa
de Ruido comuna de Santiago mediante software de modelación. Santiago,
Chile. Ministerio del Medio Ambiente
Ministerio de Transporte y Telecomunicaciones (MTT). Norma
de Emisión de Ruido para Buses de Locomoción Colectiva Urbana y Rural.
Supreme Decree N° 129/02. Santiago, Chile. Mintratel.
Ministerio Secretaría General de la Presidencia (Minsegpres). Norma de Emisión de Ruidos Molestos generados por Fuentes Fijas.
Supreme Decree N° 146/97. Santiago, Chile. Minsegpres.
World Health Organization (Who), Regional Office for Europe, 2009. Night Noise Guidelines for Europe. Copenhagen, Denmark. WHO
Regional Office for Europe.
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