Environmental legal regulations in dealing with noise

Abstract

In the Polish legislation, as well as in the EU legislation environmental protection against noise is based on actions aiming at preventing noise generation and reducing its level, where it is necessary, in order to fulfil the requirements specified by the law. Regulations concerning noise protection apply mainly to such economic branches as road transport, rail transport, and air transport. Legal measures, which contribute to the provision of the best acoustic condition of the environment, are: development of environmental protection programmes against noise, maintaining noise emissions limits, integrated permits or permits for noise emissions to the environment. Acoustic maps, whose purpose is to separate the areas exposed to noise, are of high importance in the context of noise protection. In reality a map gives an estimate of the environmental impact, giving the answer to at least the following questions: what is the state of the environment; what are the crucial issues with regards to the environment; what are the effects for the environment related to the realization of the analysed actions; how to prevent the negative effects; what protective measures should be implemented1. Acoustic maps should contain a descriptive and a graphical part, and the data included could be used as a base for actions taken by public administration in the scope of noise protection.

The development of civilization has contributed not only to the improvement of quality of life but also had a negative impact on the environment, natural resources have been used excessively and without any major restrictions. Along with the economic development noise appeared, which is one of the main problems of the modern world to this day. In this paper basic information regarding environmental protection from noise governed by the Environmental Protection Act of 27 April 2001 is presented. Such issues as noise, noise level limits, noise emissions and pollution are discussed in detail. Moreover, the problem of the compliance of solutions adopted by the Polish legislator with the regulations of the European Union in this scope is discussed.