VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL Acoustics - the Dept. of ...

Chapter 9Community noiseUnder community noise (also called environmental noise, residential noise ordomestic noise) we understand outdoor noise emitted from human activitiesincluding road traffic, rail traffic, air traffic and locations of industrial activities.In this chapter the legislation concerning community noise will bediscussed. In 2002 a new EC directive for community noise was published :2002/49/EC guideline. The aim of this directive is to commit EU MemberStates to register and reduce environmental noise. The Member States areresponsible for the follow up of the legislation (the directive has therefore atpresent no direct consequences for companies).9.1 EC directive 2002/49/ECNoise is one of the most important environmental problems in Europe. However,there is a lack of reliable data to determine noise in the different EUmember states. Data from the different states exist but due to the use ofdifferent indicators a comparison between sources of noise is not possible.The EC directive 2002/49/EC ’ relating to the assessment and managementof environmental noise’ has te following purposes:1. The harmonization of noise indicators and assessment methods. Forthis purpose two indicators were introduced which have to be used byeach of the EU member states :L den = 10log 124(12∗10 −L day10 +4∗10 −L evening +510 +8∗10 −L night +1010(9.1)whereby L day , L evening and L night are the equivalent sound pressurelevels measured during the day, evening and night. L den is used toasses annoyance and L night to asses sleep disturbance.139)