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Review
. 2021 Dec 24;19(1):173.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph19010173.

Comparison of Road Noise Policies across Australia, Europe, and North America

Maxime Perna  1 , Thomas Padois  1 , Christopher Trudeau  2   3 , Edda Bild  2   3 , Josée Laplace  2   3 , Thomas Dupont  1 , Catherine Guastavino  2   3
Affiliations
Review

Comparison of Road Noise Policies across Australia, Europe, and North America

Maxime Perna et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Developing innovative noise policies that build on international best practices is difficult when policies around the world differ along many dimensions, ranging from different sources covered to different levels of governance involved. This is particularly critical in the context of road traffic, identified as one of the main culprits leading to noise-associated complaints and health issues. In this article, we document the wide range of specifications observed in road traffic policies and propose a methodology to compare noise limits across noise policies. First, we present the responsibilities of administrative governments according to the scope (e.g., emission vs. exposure). Second, we compare noise limits by scope and geographic areas by separating acoustic indicators (overall and event indicators). Third, we convert overall outdoor noise limits into a common basis using the method described by Brink and his associates (2018) and compare them with the World Health Organization (WHO)'s recommendations (2018). Finally, measurement protocols are also compared across outdoor noise policies. This paper shows that road noise is managed at several administrative levels using approaches that are either centralized or decentralized. We also observed disparities in the associated noise limits across geographic areas. The converted outdoor noise limits generally exceeded the WHO's recommendations (2018). Finally, this paper outlines how outdoor measurement protocols vary across geographic areas. However, similarities were identified between state and provincial noise policies within the same country.

Keywords: acoustic measurement protocols; environmental noise; road noise limits; road noise policies.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had a role in the design of the study, especially in the collection of data. Otherwise, the funders had no role in the design of the study in the analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Overall indicators for emission scope (i.e., engine) identified in North America (n = 16).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Overall indicators (without conversion by Brink’s method) for outdoors (all zones combined) grouped by geographic area (n = 177).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Overall indicators for indoors (all zones combined) grouped by geographic area (n = 42).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Event indicators for emission (i.e., exhaust) and grouped by geographic area (n = 116).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Event indicators for emission (i.e., tire) and grouped by geographic area (n = 21).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Event indicators for emission (i.e., engine) and grouped by geographic area (n = 134).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Event indicators for outdoors (all zones combined) and grouped by geographic area (n = 15).
Figure 8
Figure 8
Outdoor noise limits converted to Lden (upper plot) and Ln (lower plot) by Brink’s method and grouped by zone (industrial, residential, and sensitive). “WHO” indicates the limit recommended by the World Health Organization.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. World Health Organization . Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region. World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe; Copenhagen, Denmark: 2018.
    1. European Environment Agency . Environmental Noise in Europe. Publications Office of the European Union; Copenhagen, Denmark: 2020.
    1. Simpson M., Bruce R. Noise in America: The Extent of the Noise Problem. United States Environmental Protection Agency; Washington, DC, USA: 1981. p. 186.
    1. Burgess M., Macpherson J. Overview of Australian road traffic noise policy. Acoust. Aust. 2016;44:227–234. doi: 10.1007/s40857-016-0067-2. - DOI
    1. Schwela D. Environmental Noise Challenges and Policies in Low and Middle Income Countries; Proceedings of the 12th ICBEN Congress on Noise as a Public Health Problem; Zurich, Switzerland. 18 June 2017.

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