3.13 NOISE INTRODUCTION ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY TARGETS

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1 3.13 NOISE INTRODUCTION Noise is a form of environmental pollution directly perceived by humans. In 1998, 28% of Austrians felt disturbed by noise at home during the day and/or night, 16% even felt strong or very strongly disturbed (DÖRFLER, 2000). Respondents most commonly cited traffic as the source of noise (77% of the cases). The type of traffic named was automobile traffic in 61% of the cases, far ahead of railway and air traffic, with only 11% and 5%, respectively. Since the 1970s, numerous measures have been taken to relieve the population of such pollution. Stricter noise limits have been imposed on automobiles and aircraft, noise barriers and noise walls have been set up as well as the installation of sound-proof windows has been promoted. Although the subjectively perceived noise level has been reduced by half since 1970, further action is necessary. The extent of noise pollution suffered by the Austrian population has not yet been assessed objectively on a nationwide scale. Based on data from various ambient noise plans, the Railway Noise Survey and aircraft noise zones, the number of Austrians living in identified noise pollution zones was estimated (LANG, 2002) for the 2002 OECD State of the Environment survey. The result is that about 32% of the Austrian population lives in zones with road traffic noise in excess of the limits currently imposed on federal roads in Austria. Starting in 2007, when the EU Directive 2002/49/EC relating to Environmental Noise will be implemented, an assessment of the population exposed to noise pollution will be available for major traffic routes and agglomerations. The Directive may be considered an important step forward in noise control at EU level ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY TARGETS In both European and Austrian strategy papers, noise protection is considered to be a basic principle of preventive healthcare and health management. Objectives are always formulated with humans as the object of protection and therefore always target the protection against noise. The measures to be taken, however, should in principle aim at emission levels. In the 6 th Environmental Action Programme (1600/2002/EC), which sets out the priorities and objectives of the Community's environmental policy up to 2010, the EU cites health and quality of life as one of the four areas requiring urgent action. One of the objectives in this connection is... substantially reducing the number of people regularly affected by long-term average levels of noise, in particular from traffic which, according to scientific studies, cause detrimental effects on human health.... The 1996 Green Paper of the European Commission entitled Future Noise Policy (COM/96/0540) was the first step towards establishing a plan of action for 237

2 noise abatement. The main objective of the Green Paper is to give higher political priority to noise abatement. It is also one of the basic principles of the Austrian Strategy for Sustainable Development (see Chapter 1.1) to ensure the health of all social groups; the avowed objective is to reduce noise pollution for the Austrian population. At the Austrian and European levels, various directives and recommendations have been issued defining which noise pollution levels are acceptable or which are detrimental to one s health. In 1999, WHO (World Health Organisation) published guidelines specifying recommended values as a function of specific locations and activities in order to prevent health damage (WHO, 1999). Reducing the level of noise pollution to those recommended values may be seen as a long-term term objective for everyone. At present, the available data on noise pollution is still inadequate, both at national and European levels. To determine target values and examine the effectiveness of the measures taken at EU level, improved availability and comparability of data is necessary. The available targets are therefore kept very general and formulated rather vaguely SITUATION AND TRENDS Noise assessment and perception Noise pollution may be assessed either objectively (through acoustic measurements and computations) or subjectively (by surveying those affected). The perception of undesirable sound as noise is highly dependent on the psychological make-up of the individual and subjective ratings of noise may therefore vary widely. The degree of noise pollution depends on numerous factors. At night, noise is found to be more annoying than during the day. When describing the sound level, the daytime level may be considered separately from the night-time level in order to take this difference into account, or both levels may be considered together in form of a combined level. The type of noise may also affect the degree of annoyance. For instance, road traffic noise of 60 db is found annoying by 26% of those affected, while rail traffic noise of 60 db is only found annoying by 15% of those affected (EC, 2002). The perception is also dependent on the ambient background noise level and the frequency of individual perceptible sound events. For instance, traffic noise is perceived as more annoying on open land than on land that is heavily built up, even though the objective noise level is the same (UMWELTBUNDESAMT, 2001). 238

3 Effects of noise Effects of noise on health One of the most important ways in which noise affects humans is by creating stress. The perception of noise also allows to identify hazards in time. An unexpected noise therefore puts the body in a state of alarm. Research on the physiological effects of noise has shown that no specific noise-related illness can be expected. Rather, noise acts as a stress factor that triggers an unspecified reaction (see GUNDERMANN & ISING, 1978) cardiovascular illnesses, disturbed sleep and disrupted concentration, and even mental illness and effects on social behaviour, such as aggression, are some of the effects of permanent exposure to noise. The following table shows the impact various ambient noise levels in residential areas have on health, outdoors in the daytime. Ambient noise levels outdoors Health-related aspects in the daytime (L A, eq ) 55 db Limit value for preventive healthcare db Sharp increase in reactions of annoyance db Transition to health hazard with long-term impact Tab : Ambient noise levels and health-related aspects (based primarily on research on road traffic noise). As the limit for preventive healthcare, the WHO recommends 55 db as the daytime limit and 45 db as the night-time limit (WHO, 1999). Effects of noise on the economy Above all, noise impairs the quality of life in residential areas. Apart from the effects on health, a high level of noise pollution also causes real estate prices to fall. A study commissioned by the International Union of Railways (UIC) shows that consumers are willing to pay more to rent or buy a home in quiet areas: on average, consumers are willing to pay 0.11% more of their income for each decibel of noise reduction (INFRAS & IWW, 2000). This value may be assumed for all European countries, whereas the noise exposure level, at which individuals start to be willing to pay for noise reduction, varies from country to country Noise pollution in Austria Objective pollution There has been no nationwide assessment of the noise situation in Austria. The objective level of pollution can therefore only be estimated through measurement and computation for various municipalities and for road, railway, and airport areas. Thanks to the implementation of noise abatement measures in recent years, slight improvements have been made in the noise situation along road networks, while 239

4 significant improvements have been made in the vicinity of railways. It is estimated that up to 32% of the Austrian population lives in zones where road traffic noise exceeds the limit value as defined by the Instructions for Noise Control on Austrian Federal Roads (L A, eq = 60 db in the daytime or L A, eq = 50 db at night). For rail traffic, it is estimated that approximately 4% of the Austrian population lives in zones where the ambient noise level exceeds the limit defined by the Ordinance on the Protection from Railway Traffic Noise. To assess the level of noise pollution resulting from air traffic, noise maps have been created for all airports in Austria, some of them recalculated annually, as is the case with the Vienna International Airport in Schwechat. In recent years, the areas of exposure to air traffic noise have grown smaller in Vienna, despite sharp growth in flight movements. This development is primarily due to the restrictions imposed on the use of noisy aircraft. Subjective annoyance Since 1970, Statistik Austria has been assessing the annoyance level created by noise as part of its micro-census survey 38. Its findings show that some 16% of those living in Austria feel highly or very highly annoyed by noise at home in the daytime and/or at night. About 61% of those concerned named automobile traffic as the main cause of noise disturbance and 16% named other forms of transportation. This means that traffic, named in 77% of the cases, is by far the most frequently cited source of noise (DÖRFLER, 2000) Causes of noise The main causes of noise are road, rail and air traffic, along with industry. Unlike traffic noise, industrial noise and other sources of noise, such as building sites, restaurants, sports and leisure facilities and mobile machines and equipment, have only local significance. This variety of noise sources is governed by a corresponding variety of regulations. Product-related restrictions, such as noise emission limit levels for outdoor equipment and machinery (EU Directive 2000/14/EC) are generally imposed at EU level. Regulations concerning admissible noise pollution from various sources of noise fall under the jurisdiction of the federal, state, or local governments. For instance, industrial noise in Austria is regulated at Federal level by both the Gewerbeordnung 1994 (GewO) [Austrian Industrial Code 1994] and Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz 2002 (AWG) [Waste Management Act 2002] in the sense of neighbourhood protection, whereas maximum ambient noise levels relating to building construction are regulated by the individual Federal Provinces. Municipalities can take noise control measures through decrees issued by the local police. 38 The most recent micro-census Environmental Behaviour and Environmental Impact is available for the 1998 survey. Upon the request of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Environment and Water Management the survey Environmental Living Conditions was also conducted in December The results were not yet available to be used for the Seventh State of the Environment Report. 240

5 Traffic, the main source The main cause of noise is traffic, especially road traffic. In this regard, it is important to remember that heavy vehicles and motorcycles make much more noise than passenger cars. Road traffic noise is primarily caused by tyres and engines. Over the past years, the highest admissible noise level for motor vehicles 39 has been successively lowered. At first, new standards were observed by reducing engine noise. In the meantime, engine noise has been so much reduced that noise generated by tyres on surfaces has become the determining factor starting at speeds of about 30 km/h and up for passenger cars and 40 km/h and up for lorries. EU Directive 2001/43/EC defined the highest admissible A-weighted sound levels as a function of tyre width (for passenger cars) and type of use. Practice has shown that almost all the tyres available on the market comply with or significantly outperform the prescribed limits, so this does not give any incentive to make or use low-noise tyres. The Österreichischer Arbeitsring zur Lärmbekämpfung [Austrian Noise Abatement Association] has worked out guidelines to determine the noise-reduction potential of using low-noise tyres and low-noise surfaces. Noise abatement focusing on a reduction of emissions is particularly important due to the high benefits (the effects spread over a wide area). Noise control on federal roads lies within the responsibility of the Federal Government and is governed by the Instructions for Noise Control on Federal Roads (Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs, 1999). As the Instructions were modified to lower the targeted maximum exposure level from 65 db (daytime) and 55 db (at night) to 60 db (daytime) and 50 db (at night) in 1999, it is safe to assume that noise pollution from road traffic will be reduced over the long term. No subjective rights arise from those Instructions for those exposed to noise. The Autobahnen- und Schnellstraßen-Finanzierungs-AG ASFiNAG [Austrian motorway and high-speed road operator] developed a ranking tool for the noise abatement measures to be carried out on federal roads also with respect to the implementation of the Environmental Noise Directive 2002 (EU Directive 2002/49/EC). The basic criteria for the ranking are: the mean excess over the threshold value, traffic volume, waiting time, existing noise control, efficiency (cost/inhabitant), and the difference between daytime and night-time levels. In rail traffic the noise is caused by the friction of wheels against rails and generated by the undercarriage and wagon, as well as machinery. In 1993, the Schienenverkehrslärm-Immissionsschutz-Verordnung (SchlV) (SchlV, 1993; Federal Legal Gazette No 415/1993) [Ordinance on Protection from Railway Traffic Noise 1993) established a noise limit for newly constructed railway sections. For the noise rating level L r, the limit was set at 65 db in the daytime and 55 db at night. Building upon the Railway Noise Survey created to assess the noise situation throughout Austria an extensive programme for noise control in the vicinity of railways was launched in recent years, and parts thereof have already been implemented. With the Ordinance on Protection from Railway Traffic Noise (SchlV, 1993; Federal Legal Gazette No 415/1993), Austria was the first country in Europe to impose binding noise limit values on rolling stock. 39 The noise limits are defined by the Motor Vehicle Act Implementation Ordinance based on the noise limits defined by EU Directive 92/97/ECC. 241

6 The maximum admissible sound-emission levels for aircraft are governed by Annex 16 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The Convention has been in existence since 1944 and is continuously updated. Since April 2002, only aircraft complying with Chapter 3 of Annex 16 ( Chapter-3 Aircraft ) may take off and land in Europe. Starting from 2006, stricter limits will be imposed on aircraft, as defined in Chapter 4 of Annex 16. In 2002, Directive 2002/30/EC provided uniform rules throughout Europe restricting the operation of aircraft in order to abate air traffic noise, distinguishing between louder and quieter Chapter-3 aircraft. In view of the number of flight movements in Austria, only the Vienna International Airport in Schwechat is affected by the Directive. For the Salzburg Airport, noise-related operating restrictions have been in effect since 1997: from 6-7 a.m. and 9-11 p.m. the only flight movements permitted are those that do not exceed a certain sound level. In June 2001, the Austrian Noise Abatement Association published its Guideline 24 (ÖAL, 2001a) entitled Noise Control Zones around Airports. This Guideline already uses the noise index L den that was introduced by the Environmental Noise Directive ( EU Directive 2002/49/EC) SUMMARY ASSESSMENT AND OUTLOOK Noise control legislation In Austria, there is no general noise control law; noise control is treated as a subject matter for which various areas are responsible. Depending on the object of regulation, either the federal or state legislators have jurisdiction. Thus there is a variety of anti-noise legislation pertaining to the emissions of or exposure to individual noise sources. For all projects that fall within the scope of the Umweltverträglichkeitsprüfungsgesetz 2000 (UVP-G, 2000) [Environmental Compatibility Control Act 2000] it is necessary to assess environmental compatibility with respect to noise, regardless of the type of project. The current distribution of noise programmes among various authorities and laws does not ensure consistent and uniform regulation throughout the country. A harmonisation of noise control legislation appears to be necessary. On 25 June 2002, the Environmental Noise Directive (EU Directive 2002/49/EC) was issued, obliging all EU Member States to develop noise surveys for the principal sections of road, railway and air traffic, as well as the main airports, agglomerations, and IPPC facilities (see Chapter ). The Environmental Noise Directive prescribes the determination of the population exposed to noise. The results are to be used as a basis for action plans. The Directive relating to Environmental Noise also recommends an identification of low-noise regions Noise control and noise reduction A number of measures can be taken to reduce noise pollution. 242

7 In recent years, spending for noise control on federal roads has increased. This was partly motivated by the modified Instructions for Noise Control on Federal Roads (Ministry of the Economy, 1999), which reduced the maximum ambient noise level from 65 db (daytime) and 55 db (at night) to 60 db (daytime) and 50 db (at night). Previously existing noise-control measures are mostly inadequate to meet the new requirements and must therefore be subject to a ranking of priorities for roadway measures. In 2000, some EUR 11.4 million were spent for the federal road network for active noise control, primarily in the form of noise-control walls. The costs for passive noise control (on buildings, such as sound-proof windows) amounted to EUR 2.8 million, i.e., one fourth as much. The planned expenditures over the next few years will be used mainly for the environmental clean-up of the Tauernautobahn A10 motorway. The Railway Noise Survey conducted in 1993 has made it possible to implement noise-control systems along the existing railway network infrastructure. From the start of the project to September 2003, systems were implemented for some of the estimated inhabitants exposed to noise according to the survey. The measures taken mainly involved the construction of sound barriers or walls. One possible way to reduce freight car noise is to switch from cast-iron brake shoes to synthetic ones. This could reduce noise emission by as much as 10 db, and the effects would extend over the entire transport network (CERCLE BRUIT, 1998) Creating awareness Another important element of noise control is increasing the level of awareness of both those who cause noise and those exposed to it. In Austria, various projects have been launched that include this information process as a key element: In 2001, a multipurpose noise-control system was set up on the Südautobahn A2 motorway in the Gleisdorf area, which adjusts the speed limit as a function of dynamic noise measurements. The goal is to increase the awareness of drivers by means of electronic traffic regulation/control systems. As part of the EU project SYLVIE (Systematic noise abatement in inner city residential areas) (MA 22, 2003), a study was conducted to determine what scope of action cooperative efforts have to reduce noise in the face of various conflicting interests. The noise abatement methods used in the SYLVIE Project are described by Guideline 40 of the Austrian Noise Abatement Association (2003). In recent years, air traffic in greater Vienna has increased sharply, and a further increase in flight movements is expected. To find an acceptable solution for the future development of the airport and its region, Flughafen Wien AG initiated a mediation process in Apart from the airport operator, Flughafen Wien AG, the negotiating parties included citizen representatives and action groups, political parties, environmental lawyers, and representatives of other special interest groups. The public was also informed and given an opportunity to participate in the mediation process via the Internet (see also 243

8 Noise avoidance measures Spatial planning is one of the most important ways to avoid noise and the resulting conflicts. Zoning can be used to prevent sensitive areas (e.g., residential areas) from being in the immediate vicinity of noisy areas (traffic areas, industrial operations, etc.). Planning guidelines for the highest admissible noise exposure levels as a function of zoning have been established by standards such as ÖNORM S A proposed classification of recommended planning values for A-weighted sound pressure levels or noise rating levels for the zones defined by the Austrian spatial planning laws of the federal provinces is given by ÖAL Guideline 36 (ÖAL, 2001b) RECOMMENDATIONS The aim is to take measures and thus achieve a long-term reduction in the number of people exposed to noise pollution. The main focus is on traffic-related noise. Apart from conventional noise abatement by means of sound barriers or soundproof windows, a reduction of noise emission is also necessary. Moreover, emission-targeted measures, i.e. measures applied directly to the source of the noise, are preferable because they have a broader and thus more cost-efficient effect. In addition, the consistent use of spatial planning tools (development concepts, zoning plans) is necessary to prevent future conflicts of interest. A reduction in noise pollution can also be achieved by rerouting traffic or reducing or limiting traffic (see Chapters and 3.6.5). Other such measures include speed limits and restrictions on driving lorries. Other emission-targeted measures include: labelling and promoting low-noise tyres applying low-noise road surfaces reducing engine noise in lorries or designing new low-noise lorries introducing synthetic brake shoes in freight trains. As to emission-targeted measures, the EU is also called upon to introduce stricter limit noise levels, since free access to markets often makes it difficult or impossible to regulate such matters through national legislation alone. 244