The terminology interpretation relative to noise

The category of sound

Noise categories and source

Low frequency noise

Non-ioziation radiation control

Noise Control Zone

Aircraft Noise Control Zone

Part 1Current status

Aviation noise prevention

1. Kaohsiung International Airport’s noise monitoring
   Presently, Kaohsiung City’s Shiaokang International Airport has had a total of 11 permanent aviation noise monitoring stations installed to conduct long-term monitoring on the level of noise interference that aviation noise has toward the airport vicinity area; the aviation noise monitoring data are comprised of the LDN, event count, background sound level and the like
    
   As stipulated under Article 6 of the “Airport Vicinity Area’s Aviation Noise Control Measure”, efforts are to be made to monitor Kaohsiung International Airport to declare with the bureau on/before the fifteenth of the following month upon concluding a quarter with actual flight plan data ad equalized noise plot charts, covering equalized noise plots on aviation day/night sound level measured at 60dBA, 65dBA and 75dBA, encompassing aircraft type, takeoff/landing time and flight route used.
    
2. The drafting and designation of “Kaohsiung City’s various levels of aviation noise control zones”
   As stipulated under the “Airport Vicinity Area’s Aviation Noise Control Measure”, the airport noise control zones are to be amended and publicly announced every two years; presently, the scope of the “Kaohsiung City’s various levels of aviation noise control zones” is based on the content of general announcement released on October 30, 2003.
    
3. To facilitate the Ministry of Transportation and Communications Civil Aviation Bureau in processing the subsidy of the “Airport vicinity area’ aviation noise control zone’s resident noise prevention funding”.
   From the period spanning from September 15, 2001 to September 2005, a total of 38,436 cases of noise prevention facility subsidy petitions have been received within the 33km radius of Kaohsiung City, with 37,500 cases having undergone satisfactory initial review, and have since been forwarded to Kaohsiung International Airport for subsidy processing.
    
4. To step up controlling aviation noise
   (�T).To monitor airport ground surface noise by utilizing the business venue noise control criteria (except noise beyond aircraft flying and gliding).
   (�U).To spearhead Kaohsiung International Airport to monitor the various airlines to heed to flying by the specified fligh routes.
   

Active efforts have been made to adopt a host of broadcasting media to effectively campaign for law prevention control laws and regulations and prevention measure, and to publicly announce prohibited acts, such as,

1. To announce, in specific time, region or venue, the banning of igniting fireworks or engaging in shrine, temple, wedding/funeral/festive folklore activities.
    
2. To monitor a host of buildings installed with facilities such as cooling water towers, power generators, water pumps and ventilation fans that may disrupt the peace and tranquility of others.
   

1. Definition of the low frequency noise

Our country defines the low frequency noise range as 20~200Hz, among them the major frequency that influences human body obviously is in the range of 3-50Hz.

2. Relevant rules and regulations of our country

Regarding low frequency noise control standards; Environmental Protection Administration had revised the article 3 over Noise Control Standards on January 31 2005 in accordance with Noise Control Act article 7 / Item 2, relevant clauses are as follows.

Article 3 The noise control standards of entertainment places, business places

The Environmental protection administration had revised the above-mentioned low frequency noises standards over relevant places of entertainment, places of business and promulgated formally on January 31, 2005,and began to implement it on July 1, 2005.

3. The characteristic of low frequency noise

While staying outdoors or opening the door, the low frequency noise could not be felt among compositions of noises because low frequency was covered by other medium and high-frequency noises. But once doors and windows are closed, medium and high-frequency noise will be insulated and low frequency noise can be felt easily, so, usually in the mid night or comparatively quiet time, it is relatively easy to be interfered by the low frequency noise.

4. Influence of the low frequency noise
Low frequency noise generates stress to people. It has great impact especially to older people at sleep and psychology, and may cause neurasthenia, melancholia etc..

5. The mechanism of low frequency noise and sources

•  The mechanism:
1. Flat bed vibration: Such as Large-scale vibration, road bridge, overflow of water dam rivers, etc..
2. Vibration of the air current: Air compressor, vacuum pump, etc. Compression and expansion.
3. The gas is surged and shaken abnormally: Such as the rotation stall of the large-scale air blower.
4. The rapid compression, expansion of the air: Such as explosion, the tunnel passing of high speed railway train, etc. .

? Source:
There are compressors, air blower, water cooling tower, engine, water pump, belt conveyer, boiler, air conditioning device, voltage transformer, helicopter, washing machine, refrigerator, automobile, metal bridge, tunnel, explosion, earthquake, thunder, wind, etc..

6. The measurement points of low frequency noise

According to Article 3 item 9 of the Noise Control Act, it has to measure the frequency range of 20 Hz to 200 Hz indoor at designated house while lived by the applicant, and it should stay at least one meter away nearest wall line. The door and window must be closed during measurement unless there is special request out of applicant. In case there is other noise disturbing the measurement, it should be terminated or suspended.

Introduction （ Source: Non- Ionization Radiation Control Website of EPA , Executive Yuan, ）

The electromagnetic wave can be divided into Ionizing Radiation (abbreviated as IR) or Non-ionizing Radiation (abbreviated as NIR) in accordance with the level of its frequency and energy.

Ionizing radiation means extremely high frequency electromagnetic wave (for instance, X-rays and Gamma ray). Its photon energy is strong enough to destroy the atomic bond of the cell molecule and generated positive or negative electric charge ion that is ionizing phenomenon.

Non-ionizing Radiation means the electromagnetic spectrum energy is weak and unable to destroy atomic bond including ( Annotation of translator: Sequenced by frequency / photon energy level) Ultraviolet ray ( UV) Radiation, visible light Infrared radiation, Cell phone frequency and the microwave electric magnetic field , extreme low frequency ( ELF) Electric magnetic field, and static charge field and static magnetic field

Promotion

The Environmental Protection Administration of Executive Yuan refers the suggestion value of ICNIRP at General people electric magnetic field and promulgated “ The Recommending Environmental Value of Non-Ionizing Radiation “ on January 12, 2001. Followings are the recommended value of each frequency band, the value out of mobile phone station electromagnetic wave is: 900MHz at 0.45 m watts / cm 2 , 1800MHz at 0.9 m watts / cm 2 , suggested safety electromagnetic wave value of 60Hz home appliances is 833 m gausses.

The Environmental Protection Agency of Kaohsiung City Government will start irregular measuring of Non-Ionizing Radiation to the area under the jurisdiction of the municipal government of Kaohsiung in 2006

The measurement record of environmental electromagnetic wave power density.

A. The current situation of noise controls

This city is the primary industrial place of whole Taiwan, and the harbor of Kaohsiung is the biggest harbor in the country. The industrial and commercial activity is dynamic, the people live side by side with mixing of trading and household, hence the living environment is interfered seriously by the noise day by day. According to Noise complaints statistical data from 1991 to 1998, the complaint cases have the tendency to increase continuously. Because of the complexity of noise control, we are focusing mainly on appropriate settlement of complaints for the time being.

The major control methods are ：

•  The monitoring of Environmental traffic noise and definition of the Noise control zone
There are 10 environmental volume measurement points in this city to monitor the environmental volume in the whole city for more than 2 days quarterly, and 9 traffic noises measurement points in this city to monitor the traffic noises for more than 2 days quarterly. The data will be used as reference for Noise control. The office will revise and publish the Noise control zone every 2 years based on the land utilization dividing zone which published by Public Works Bureau of this city together with the current environmental traffic noise situation. We will tighten the definition of the Noise control zone year by year and implement more stringent Noise control standards to enhance the control of all kinds of noise sources.

•  Various kinds of noise sources control
We will upgrade the audit of complaint from citizen, track and review control, and improve the complaint settlement accomplishment ratio.

•  The aircraft noise control
Because the competent authority of aircrafts is the CAA of MOTC, this office only urges the CAA to improve Aircraft noise. We do not have power to force them to improve it; this office will urge the CAA to monitor the Aircraft noise 24 hours per day the whole year to safeguard citizen's rights and interests, and to revise and publish the Noise control zone every 2 years in accordance with the feedback of Aircraft noises monitor data and noise level contour chart provided by CAA, helps the CAA to handle compensation and subsidization over the people in the vicinity of the airport, in order to protect the rights of those people annoyed by noise.

4. Cooperate with the Environmental Protection Administration of Executive Yuan to revise the Noise Control Act extensively
The current Noise Control Act was promulgated and revised in 1992, it is out of date already. The newly revised Noise Control Act (Not published yet) will add control range and items extensively based on actual demand out of citizen and this will increase tremendously complaints number and require more manpower to take care. And the traffic noise is difficult to control because of no legal regulations over the years; the newly revised Noise Control Act will stipulate the control measure of the traffic noise and subsidized clause.

5. Vibration control

Since the Environmental Protection Administration of Executive Yuan has not published relevant bills yet, and the people also have no complaints in this respect, so there is no plan of controlling at present. We shall comply with authorities to process those control once the Environmental Protection Administration of Executive Yuan announces relevant control measures.

B. Strategy and measure

1. Review the Monitor sample of Environmental volume

There are 10 environmental volume monitoring stations existed in this city, every station monitors more than 2 days per quarter, it represents this city current Environment
(i.e. the background) volume situation. If noise control zone definition standards exceed current Environmental volume situation, then it means the Noise control standard is too high, it will be unable to control the noise source effectively; If noise control zone definition standards are far below current Environmental volume situation, then it means the background Noise is too high, it will be unable to correct the noise source; Therefore a proper definition of Noise Control zone is the key of successful Noise Control result; And the sample of environmental volume, will influence the definition of the Noise Control zone.

In order to verify the accuracy of the Noise Control zone, the result feedback of audit shall be used: In case the complaints are accumulating in the zone and the audit result are conformed with Noise Control standards, but the background Noise volume always exceed noise source volume, that means it has to review the accuracy of the definition of Noise Control zone and sample of the environmental volume monitoring station.

2. Strengthen the Traffic Noise control
Because it is unable to lock the Control target of traffic noise, it is more difficult to control. Once receiving the traffic noise complaint from citizen, and confirmed by this office that the Noise already exceeds Traffic Noise standard, the competent authority shall take proper protecting measure accordingly:

(1) The protecting measures can be used by Traffic and road competent authority; including traffic management measures of set up traffic symbol, restriction of speed limit, restriction of large vehicles entering urban zone, and Noise alleviation measures of buffer building, Green belt, widen the road partition, sound insulation wall, and measure of setting up household sound insulation facilities.

•  The protecting measures can be used by competent authority of High-speed railway and MRT system, including measures of rails structure improvement, traffic administration, sound insulation wall, setting up buffer building or green land and household sound insulation facility.

(3) Plan severe traffic noise zone and prepare the control plan according to the citizen complaints situation.

3. Definition of the Noise Control Zone

The most effective Noise Control method is to contain same type noise source in the same land utilization uses via control measures of zone by zone land uses management measures, and to safeguard peace of inhabitants by Interior insulation quality of building management regulations. So Noise Control Zone and city plan and regional plan, should focus on integration of land use and inhabitant type, to avoid the existence of high noise business adjacent to houses and school that requires peaceful environmental quality.

4. Regular noise source control measure
The Control measure is: Environmental Protection Bureau of this office shall delegate people to audit and measure the volume according to the complaint of citizen. If the volume exceeds the Noise control standards, they shall issue Correction notice with definite time ordering the person in charge to improve; Recheck the volume after the expiration of notice automatically, if it still does not comply with the controls standard, it shall be punished and asked to correct within a definite period; In case of not complying with control standards after expiration date again, it can be punished day by day, or stop working compulsorily, suspend business or stop operating till it is conformed to Noise control standards. This office will set up integration of audit, track and review system and software application system; to track and force all complained noise sources accomplishing correction.

5. Folk custom noise and neighbor's noise control measure

(1) In terms of Folk custom noise, this office had forbidden firing firecracker at specific time, zone, place and folk custom activities engaged in altar, temple fair, wedding and funeral.

(2) Neighbors noise control has been drafted in revised Noise Control Act (The original Noise Controls Act does not care about it), it will adopt in principle the behavior control (Do not need to measure volume) , that means once there is a Noise Control Act violation behavior it will be punished promptly. Therefore once the revised Noise Control Act is implemented, it shall be able to control neighbor's noise effectively.

6. Aircraft noise controls measure

(1) This office will urge CAA of MOTC to adopt various kinds of prevention measures: Retire the old and noisy plane, buy low noise model plane; Control Noise of airport maintenance test running, taking off warm up, taxing, etc. The taxing and the flying noise are controlled by the noise contour; other airport noise will be controlled by Business places control standards of Noise Control Act.

(2) This office will revise and publish Aircraft control zone every two years based on the noise contour and actual flying monitoring data.

(3) The Noise control prevention fee collected by CAA will be used for subsidizing schools, Libraries, Medical facilities that located in the second grade Aircraft noise Control Zone and to install the sound insulation facilities of those schools, Libraries , medical facilities, households which located in the third grade Aircraft noise control zone. This office shall assist the CAA to handle relevant subsidized matters.

(4) Coordinate with relevant authorities to work out airport surroundings land utilization countermeasure, and present it to land utilization competent authority for overall city plan review according to legal procedures.

7. The motor vehicle noise controls measure

(1) Central Government responsibility and authority

•  The new model review: Each manufacture, import or qualified car body maker shall present certified documents of inspection organizations to apply qualification certificate. The motor vehicle inspection authorities shall inspect in accordance with road traffic safety regulation and issue License after passing inspection.

2. The new car inspects by random samples: Once the quantity of qualified new model manufactured or imported motor vehicle reaches the number or period stipulated in the regulations, the central competent authority should proceed or entrust contractors to inspect by random samples. If the inspection result fail to pass standards, it's new model inspection certificate will be withdrawn.

(2) Local Government responsibility and authority

1. The Environmental Protection Bureau ? It shall inspect randomly the driving vehicle in the location of parking zone, station, roadside, etc.. It shall cooperate with traffic-police's unit in case of necessity.

•  The motor vehicle inspection authorities - The regular inspection of driving vehicle and license plate application will be executed by motor vehicle inspection authorities in accordance with the safety regulation of the road traffic; the regular inspection can be entrusted to automobile inspection contractors.