Accra, Dec.1, – The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), on Friday organized a day’s workshop on ambient noise
level guidelines, for block making facilities, pubs and transport unions.
The workshop was to create a
forum for engagement between EPA and key stakeholders to find lasting ways of
addressing the problem of noise pollution.
Mr. Ebenezer Appah-Sampong, EPA
Deputy Executive Director, Technical said the issue of noise has become a
problem that refuses to go away and the EPA has been battling it for some time
now, adding that it was an issue that required all on board.
He said in homes, lorry parks,
communities’ humans tend to generate some form of noise one way or the other
and forget that it inconveniences each other, saying society by nature can
accommodate some noise but when it goes beyond a certain time then people
become agitated.
“Some time ago we came out with
the permissible noise guideline. We raised some awareness but still have not
made the progress that we want to achieve. We have now moved it further into
standards and very soon would become enforceable standards backed by a
regulation with some punitive measures,” he said.
Mr Appah-Sampong said the EPA’s
intention is that, together, all would become conscious of the impact of
excessive noise on our health, so that as individuals and communities we would
take steps to minimize it to a very large extent.
“We think that now we would not
do a big gathering but meet in small groups, understand each other and then
share experiences on what we have done with the guidelines, and how to measure
noise, and that would guide us to take our own actions and stop this.
“I believe that, if we are able
to tackle it in our small groups, we would be able to achieve it. We expect
that from here, we would take steps in our little small way to help address
it,” he said.
He urged participants to become
ambassadors for the environment and the people, saying if care is not taken,
people would have hearing problems and difficulties in their old age.
“The end game is for us to have
some groups to help us do some education and help us enforce the standards. We
also want to establish Regional and District Task Forces to also enforce the
standards,” he said.
Mr. Emmanuel Appoh, Deputy
Director, Environmental Quality Department at the EPA said noise is unwanted or
irregular noise, which is emitted by a vibrating body and upon reaching the ear
causes the sensation of hearing through nerves.
He said Noise pollution is sound
that is disordered and irregular producing an unknown pleasant sensation that
is unwanted or that interfere with the ability to hear.
He said the major sources of
noise include motor, vehicles, traffic, lack of maintenance, driving
habits, hawking and commercial activities
at lorry parks, markets, machines, information centres, social gatherings, Churches, mosques among
others.
Mr. Appoh said noise pollution
arises due to certain factors including lack of maintenance of machinery, lack
of knowledge on laws and health as well as behavioural Factors.
He noted that some health
implication like auditory and non-auditory effects are becoming common, with
people especially the young ones losing their sensitivity to hearing because of
their exposure to loud noise for long periods of time.
“All these problems can be solved
if we switch to new models of machinery, regular maintenance, installation of
noise proof materials, change of mindset by citizens and be conscious of the
laws of government on noise making,” he said.
He said the EPA Act 490 (1994)
mandates the agency to prescribe guidelines and standards relating to air,
water, land and noise, to develop ambient noise level guidelines for all zones.
Mr. Appoh said the EPA also works
in partnership with stakeholders to catalyze change to make environmental
protection and sustainable development a common value.
Mr. John Tettey, Head of
Environmental Education Department said the total number of complaints received
in the Greater Accra Region from August 2016 to 2017 is 329, 50 from Accra
East; 117 from Accra West; and 102 from the head office.
He said when the EPA receives
complaints of noise it takes various steps to address it including inviting
both the complainant and the alleged offender for a meeting, after which the
EPA and offender come to agreement on how to minimize noise to permissible
levels consistent with the zoning status of the area.
He noted that where feasible, the
complainants and alleged offenders are brought to a meeting, for an amicable
settlement, and when all these efforts fail, the complainant is advised to send
the matter to a court of law for solution.
The court normally orders the EPA
to do noise measurements and submit to court.
GNA
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