24. Environmental Management and Coordination (Noise and Excessive Vibration Pollution) (Control) Re

These Regulations provide for rules governing noise pollution including acceptable practices and noise levels.

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· These regulations were published vide Legal Notice No. 61 of 2009.

· Regulation 6 provides that no person shall cause noise from any source which exceeds any sound level as set out in the applicable column in the First Schedule to these Regulations. The measurements of the noise are usually measured by the relevant lead agency, in default of which the same is done by NEMA.

· Regulation 11 provides that any person wishing to operate construction equipment or machinery likely to emit noise or excessive vibrations shall carry out the said activity within the levels specified in the First Schedule to the Regulations.

· Regulation 13 provides that no person shall operate construction equipment (including but not limited to any pile driver, steam shovel, pneumatic hammer, derrick or steam or electric hoist) or perform any outside construction or repair work to emit noise in excess of the permissible levels as set out in the Second Schedule to these Regulations.

· Regulation 14 stipulates that where defined work of construction, demolition, mining or quarrying is to be carried out in an area, NEMA may impose requirements on how the work is to be carried out including but not limited to requirements regarding machinery that may be used and the permitted levels of noise. Regulation 14(3) is to the effect that any person carrying out construction, demolition, mining or quarrying work shall ensure that the vibration levels do not exceed 0.5 centimetres per second beyond any source property boundary or 30 metres from any moving source. Under regulation 15, any person intending to carry out construction, demolition, mining or quarrying work shall, during the Environmental Impact Assessment studies- (a) identify natural resources, land uses or activities which may be affected by noise or excessive vibrations from the construction, demolition, mining or quarrying; (b) determine the measures which are needed in the plans and specifications to minimize or eliminate adverse construction, demolition, mining or quarrying noise or vibration impacts; and (c) incorporate the needed abatement measures in the plans and specifications.