"Artificial sources of light and noise are near-ubiquitous in the modern world. When light or noise is unwanted or excessive and impacts the health and well-being of humans and other organisms, they can be referred to as light or noise pollution. These pollutants are regulated in the UK at the local level by local authorities, under policy from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)". Read the report published on the 19th of July 2023 by the Science and Technology Committee (Lords), with a contribution from Joy Geerkens (Brunel University London).
Key policy implications:
- The Noise Policy Statement for England sets a good overall framework for noise policy but should be re-emphasised. DEFRA does not collect the data that demonstrate national policy interfaces with local policy appropriately.
- The Government should collect data to determine whether planning authorities and other relevant parties are making use of the Noise Policy Statement for England.
- There should be a specific noise reduction target for the regulation of noise pollution. Strict decibel exposure limits are impractical, but a target based on reducing the calculated exposure to, and hence disease burden from, noise pollution would allow cost-effective interventions to be pursued. This target should be in place for the next five-year Environmental Improvement Plan cycle.
- The Committee welcomes DEFRA’s noise pollution mapping and modelling exercise, which provides an opportunity for a renewed focus on noise pollution. However, mapping is only the first step: interventions to reduce the noise burden must follow.
More policy impilcations
Read the full report