The NoiseFAQs

1. Health EffectsNoise pollution can have health effects foryou and others around you. Read about ithere.

2. Quieten Down!“What I can do to stop this racket!”

There’s advice here on:

• Industrial Noise

• Pubs and nightclubs

• Construction Noise

• Noise at Work

• Airport Noise

• Noise from the Road

• Noisy Neighbours

There’s also boxed text with info on:• Recording Noise

• Statutory Nuisance

• Court Actions

• Complaints to Campaigning

3. Background ScienceNeed to know a bit more about how soundworks? This section contains moreinformation on the nature of sound, howsound is measured and explanations of termslike LAeq,t and LA90.

What is noise…

and noise pollution?Noise and sound, like speech andmusic, are part of our everyday life.Physically there’s no differencebetween what we call ‘sound’ and‘noise’, but we often use the word‘noise’ to talk about ‘unwantedsounds’.

Noise pollution (or unwanted sound)can be different for different people.For example, your neighbour maythink the music you love is just‘noise’, or maybe the sound of yourkids playing is a joy to you and anuisance to someone else!

What’s FAQ?FAQ stands for FrequentlyAsked Questions and wehope you’ll find the answersto your questions aboutnoise and what you can doabout noise pollution in your

local community.

Noise FAQs

Welcome to the Noise FAQs. This guide is designed to start atthe beginning and answer your questions on noise. Previousexperience not required! Just read on and head straight towhat’s relevant or interesting to you.

Studies have found how noise affects healthbut much of the evidence is variable. Thestronger findings from the World HealthOrganisation’s ‘Guidelines for CommunityNoise’ are below.

Sleep DisturbanceWe all need a good night’s sleep if we wantto function properly the next day. Noisepollution might make it difficult to get tosleep or it might stop you entering deepsleep. You can feel tired the next day andover time this can lead to a depressed moodand reduced well-being.

For a sound sleep, the background soundlevel should not be over 30 dB(A) andindividual noises should be less than 45dB(A). See the Background Science sectionfor how loud this is!

Effects on the Heart andCirculation (cardiovascular)Workers exposed to noise, and people livingnear airports, industries and noisy streets,may suffer temporary health impacts such asan increased heart rate. After longerexposure to noise, some people may developpermanent problems depending on the noiselevels and type of noise. These problemscan include high blood pressure, blood vesseltightening and heart disease. Although, otherfactors such as a history of heart disease inyour family, your diet and smoking can alsocause these.

Mental Health Effects

Noise is not believed to cause mental illnessdirectly, but there is evidence it couldaccelerate an illness already developing.Good sleep appears to help people who aresuffering from mental health problems.

1. Health Effects

Most of us have experienced excessive noise at one time or another andknow how annoying and stressful it can be. You may however not be awarehowever of how noise could affect your health.

Further Reading• ‘Guidelines for Community Noise’ published by the World Health

Organisation: www.who.int/docstore/peh/noise/guidelines2.html

• General Information on noise and health: www.euro.who.int/Noise

Social and Behavioural Effectsof NoiseNot being able to concentrate is one effectbut there is also concern that high-pitchcontinuous noise may lead to feelings ofhelplessness in schoolchildren. Continualloud noise (e.g. lorries on a nearby road) canincrease aggressive behaviour in children,especially if the noise includes sudden noises(e.g. a passing train).

Ability to ConcentrateA noisy environment can make it difficult toconcentrate on thinking, learning andremembering. Reading, attention span,problem solving and remembering things areall affected by noise, especially for children.Noise pollution could create problems forchildren’s learning and development.

Ear damageYou can get permanent ear damage andtinnitus (ringing in the ears) from noiselounder than a vacuum cleaner at closerange. The worst effects will happen withhigh-pitched (squeaky) noises with afrequency of 3000Hz to 6000Hz.

Interference with SpeechSpeech is normally measured at about50dB(A) and noises above 35dB(A) will makeit more difficult to understand. While notstrictly a health effect, noises that affectyour hearing make your life difficult. Thiscan lead to stress, especially in old people,the hearing impaired, or children and adultslearning spoken English. You might evenmiss that important phone call!

Talk firstIt is always best to try to talk to the peoplemaking the noise first. Getting to knowthem, whether they are your neighbours or alocal factory is the most important thing.Most successful resolutions happen this way.

2. Quieten Down!

“What can I do to stop this racket?!”

Scotland has laws and regulations to prevent noise from affecting yourhealth and well-being. Knowing what these regulations are and who’sresponsible for making sure they’re followed is essential for a quiet life.

Noise pollution atGrangemouthGrangemouth is home to tenindustrial facilities, including an oilrefinery and several chemicalplants. Many of the local peopleare dependent on the work thesefactories provide but sometimesthey wish it were little quieter!

In 2005, members of thecommunity organised themselvesinto an action group after the noisefrom gas flaring at Ineospetrochemical plant got too much.Falkirk Council told them theyneeded more complaints from thelocal people before they could takeany action. The group learnt aboutnoise pollution regulation andhelped others in the community tovoice their concerns which lead toaction being taken.

By Christmas 2005 the company’snew ground flares, with a ‘baffle’ todampen the sound, startedworking. Residents and workersalike are relieved!

I’ve tried talking with them!Decide what type of noise pollution listedbelow is affecting you and head straight tothat section. Each section will describepositive actions you can take and who’sresponsible for enforcing the noise laws andregulation.

• Industrial Noise

• Pubs and Nightclubs

• Construction Noise

• Noise at Work

• Airport Noise

• Noise from the Road

• Noisy Neighbours

Industrial Noise

First StepsWrite directly to the factory or industry that’smaking the noise with help from the ‘FromComplaints to Campaigning’ section. If lotsof people are complaining this might beenough to convince the company to improve.You may want to keep a record of the noiseas evidence to back up your argument (seeRecording Noise below).

Who is responsible forcontrolling noise levels?

Who is responsible depends on where thenoise is coming from and what type ofindustry you are dealing with. Use our guidebelow to help you find out whom you shouldbe contacting to make sure local industriesare following Scotland’s noise regulations.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) isresponsible for making sure factories in Scotland follow a set of rulescalled the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations2000. We’ll call them the PPC regulations from now on. Under theserules, the factories with the most potential to pollute are called Part Ainstallations, while other factories are called Part B installations.

You can find out whether your local factory is Part A (e.g. oilrefineries, paper mills) or Part B (generally smaller factories) by

contacting SEPA or asking the company itself.

Once you know if your local industry isPart A or Part B use the boxes belowto find out who is responsible forregulating your noise problem. Goahead and write to them using theinformation below and the advice inFrom Complaints to Campaigning.

Part A installationsNoise from all factory processes, for examplemachinery or gas flaring.

• Contact SEPA, see below.

Noise from construction work, transport onaccess roads, dogs and intruder alarms.

• Contact your Local Authority (LocalCouncil). See ‘Statutory Nuisance’ on thenext page.

Part B installationsAll noise pollution from PartB factories andinstallations.

• Contact your LocalAuthority (Local Council).See ‘Statutory Nuisance’ onthe next page.

How do I contact SEPA?Reporting Noise: If the factory is a Part A installation you cancomplain to SEPA using their free 24-hour Pollution Report Line0800 80 70 60. You can do this every time the noise pollutionaffects you. Keep a written record of the noise. You may wish tofollow up your complaint with a letter asking for a writtenresponse. Use ‘From Complaints to Campaigning’ as a guide.

SEPA can check the factory is following its PPC regulations. Ifregulations are being broken, SEPA should be enforcing the rules.

I’ve complained, but the noisecontinues. What can I do?If you’ve complained with our ‘FromComplaints to Campaigning’ advice butyou’re still not happy with the way SEPA isdealing with your complaint you can usetheir complaints procedure to get someone‘higher up’ to look at your problem.

1. Contact the person who dealt with youlast time or your local office and tellthem you wish to complain aboutSEPA’s response to your noisecomplaint. They should send you aletter within four weeks with aprogress report or the outcome ofSEPA’s investigation.

2. If you are still unhappy, you couldwrite to the Corporate ManagementTeam in the Stirling Office. If theirresponse is unsatisfactory go to theChief Executive. Finally, if you feelSEPA haven’t been fulfilling their jobyou could contact the ScottishOmbudsman (0800 377 7330 orwww.spso.org.uk). The ScottishOmbudsman looks after complaintsabout Scotland’s public services.

Pubs and Nightclubs

First StepsIf the noise from a local pub or club isaffecting your sleep first try speaking to thelandlord. Suggest some ways the pub couldreduce its impact on you; for exampleenforcing a reasonable quiet policy forsmokers outside, reducing the music volumeor even helping you with the cost of double-glazing to dampen the sound.

What You Can DoIf speaking to the landlord doesn’t work youcan complain to the Licensing Board of yourlocal council. This is best done in writing.Phone your council and ask for the addressof the pub-licensing department. Write tothe Board asking for your concerns to beconsidered by a licensing review. Rememberto put the date on the letter and keep a copyfor yourself.

Some local authorities may consider noisefrom a pub to be a statutory nuisance.Contact your local authority using our advice.

Statutory NuisanceLocal authorities deal with noisepollution through laws called‘statutory nuisance’.

For action to be taken you first needto complain to the local authority.They might then send anEnvironmental Health Officer todecide if the noise will affect yourhealth or enjoyment of life. If theydecide it does (there’s no set limit forthis) then they must serve anabatement notice on the personresponsible.

An abatement notice means the noisemust be stopped, reduced or limitedto certain times of the day. If theabatement notice is not followedwithout a good excuse the personmaking the noise can be prosecutedin the Sheriff Court.

To make a complaint, phone yourlocal Council; their number can befound near the start of the telephonedirectory. Explain that you want tomake a noise complaint and they willpass you onto the right department.

‘Sound Advice on Noise - Don’tSuffer in Silence’ a shortbooklet clearly explaining whatyou can do about noisenuisance through the LocalAuthority and the courts isavailable for free from theScottish Executive.

• Online -www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/158542/0042987.pdf

• In Print - Blackwell's Bookshop,53 South Bridge, EdinburghEH1 1YS. Tel: 0131 622 8205or Email:edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk

Building andConstruction Noise

When building or construction work is goingon there is normally a limit on what hours ofthe day that construction work can go on.These hours will be something like 7am to7pm and fall under the Control of PollutionAct. Construction sites can ask the councilto work outside of these hours and this isusually granted.

If building work is keeping you awake atnight you could contact your local authorityand ask them to stop allowing the work tohappen after a certain time at night.

Noise at Work

Noise at Work is also called occupationalnoise. If you are affected you’re not alone;170,000 people suffer hearing problems fromnoise at work. The Health and SafetyExecutive (HSE) regulate noise pollution atgenerally higher risk workplaces like heavyindustries and agriculture. The localauthorities regulate noise at workplaces likeoffices or shops. The HSE can give youadvice through their Infoline, website, emailand free leaflets, for example, ‘Protect yourhearing or lose it!’ explaining noise at workand what you and your employer must do toprotect your health.

Airport Noise

As we fly more, we need more planes, biggerairports and more flight paths. People whoweren’t affected by planes in the past arenow experiencing noise pollution.

First StepsJoin a local community action group.AirportWatch are an umbrella organisationnetworking communities fighting air travel

issues. Contact them to find other interestedpeople in your area. If there isn’t a localgroup, you and your community can startone. AirportWatch can put you in contactwith other communities with experience infighting noise issues for advice and support.

Who’s responsible for aircraftnoise laws?The central government’s Department forTransport (DfT) regulates aircraft noise. TheAir Traffic Control Regulations 1985 aim tominimise noise over built-up areas. The CivilAviation Act 1982 allows people who livenear airports and are affected by noise abovean average of 66 dB to get some money topay for noise insulation like secondaryglazing or roof and wall insulation.Unfortunately this does not cover any airportin Scotland at the moment!

Health and Safety ExecutiveInfoline: 0845 345 0055Email: hse.infoline@natbrit.comWeb: www.hse.gov.uk/noisePublication list:www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/noisindx.htm

Recording NoiseMaking a diary of the noise pollutionin your area is one way to back upyour complaint. Your diary shouldrecord the following information:

• Start: date and time

• Finish: date and time

• Noise level

• Brief description of the noise

• The effects on you, family andcommunity

It is enough to describe in your diaryhow loud you perceive a noise to bee.g. very loud, thumping, drowns outthe TV etc. If however, you want amore objective measurement of thenoise level, you could use a ‘soundlevel meter’. Domestic-use metersare available for around £30 fromMaplins. They’re easy to use andprovide a measurement of thesurrounding noise level in decibels.

AirportWatchPhone: 020 7248 2227Email: info@airportwatch.org.ukWeb: www.airportwatch.org.uk

What can I do?Contact the decision-makersWriting to the manager of the airport is animportant first step but it will take more thanone letter to make a difference here.Contact your local councillor, MSP and MPwith your concerns. It’s important that theyknow people in their constituency care aboutthe noise. If you don’t know who yourgovernment representatives are you can findout at www.writetothem.com.

Find out moreRead up on your local airport and the plansfor future changes. You have the right to asay on future plans but you’ll have to do thelegwork!

The company BAA own Glasgow, Edinburghand Aberdeen airports. You can find noiseinformation, contact details and informationon the airport’s future plans atwww.baa.com/noise.

The next step towards change is communityaction…

Taking community action• Build up community support. Numbers

count so get your friends andneighbours involved. Also build upsupport within local authorities andfrom your Members of Parliament.

• Be visible. Use the media. A newsstory can be a great way to get morepeople involved

• Make links with other groups. Supportand advice from other groups and localcommunities strengthens yourarguments.

Military AircraftIf you have a complaint about militaryaircraft you can write to the Ministry ofDefence (MoD) or your local military flyingstation. If you live in the South of Scotlandyou could also contact the RegionalCommunity Relation Officer (RCRO).

MoD Directorate of Air StaffComplaints and Enquiries Unit

Level 5, Zone HMain Building

WhitehallLondon SW1A 2HB

Telephone: 0207 218 6020Fax: 0207 218 2680

RCRO - Southern ScotlandSqn Ldr (Retd) John Gilbert

Irvine House, CanonbieDumfries and Galloway DG14 0XF

Telephone: 013873 81156Fax: 013873 80904

rcro.southernscotland@stc.raf.mod.uk

Noise from the Road

A huge number of people are affected bytraffic noise; it’s probably the most commonnoise heard in Britain. Unfortunately it’sdifficult to get something done about it - butnot impossible!

First StepsBe very clear about what the problem is. Forexample, is it a badly placed speeding hump,large trucks or the general traffic noise? Theroads department of your local authority isresponsible for local roads while trunk roadsconnecting cities and towns are theresponsibility of Transport Scotland. Contactthe responsible department AND your localcouncillor explaining your problem andasking for action. You can use our ‘FromComplaints to Campaigning’ section foradvice.

What can be done?Noise coming from general traffic on roads inScotland is not considered a statutorynuisance under the current laws. Councilsmay tell you there’s not much they can doabout the noise but there are some thingsthat could help. Lorries could be diverted toroads in less built up areas or speed limitscould be introduced. In fact the best way toreduce the noise at source is throughmodern quieter road surfaces. Thesesurfaces have a smooth surface with gaps toprovide tyre grip, it’s described as a‘negative texture’.

New or Upgraded RoadsIf there’s a new road being built close toyour house or there’s a significant change toan old road you might be able to get a grantfrom the road authority for better soundinsulation, for example secondary windows.This is under the Noise Insulation (Scotland)Regulations 1975. If your house or propertyhas gone down in value because of a newroad you might be eligible for compensationunder the Land Compensation Act 1973.

Community ActionIf you are affected by traffic noise it’s likelyyour neighbours are affected too. Manyvoices are much more effective than one.Organise a meeting with your councillor orMSP and the community to discuss what canbe done.

Transport ScotlandBuchanan House58 Port Dundas RoadGlasgow G4 0HFTelephone: 0141 272 7100E: info@transportscotland.gsi.gov.uk

Noisy Neighbours

Noise from your neighbours, like loud music,barking dogs or shouting, is also calleddomestic noise. Each local authority dealswith noise in a slightly different way but theadvice here should be relevant throughoutScotland.

MediationTo start with, try coming to an agreementthat reduces your neighbour’s noise. Thereis even free help from mediationprofessionals available if your neighbour isdifficult to deal with; contact your localauthority or Sacro for details.

Further ActionsComplaining will probably worsen yourrelationship with your neighbour so try thefriendly approach first. If mediation hasn’tworked, the local authority can use Anti-Social Behaviour laws to warn, fine orprosecute offenders.

If the noise problem continues, domesticnoise might be considered a statutorynuisance. As a final resort you might wish totake the issue to the courts yourself. Readthe boxed text on Statutory Nuisance andCourt Actions for advice on what to do.

The short booklet, ‘Sound Advice on Noise -Don’t Suffer in Silence’ provides more advice- see the boxed text on Statutory Nuisancefor details.

The PolicePolice should be contacted if the noisenuisance is being caused by noisy vehicles,disturbances and rowdy behaviour (breach ofthe peace), loud parties and music which isloud enough to require immediate action.Your local authority will deal with some ofthese complaints but the Police will tell youwhat to do.

A warning will usually be given if the Policeare called out to a noisy party. However, thePolice also have the power to confiscatenoise-making equipment, such as a stereo, ifthe warnings are not heeded.

Court ActionsIf your local authority or SEPA do nottake action you can take your case tothe Sheriff Court (under section 82 ofthe Environmental Protection Act1990). Before you contact the Court,warn the person responsible for thesound and give them a deadline toimprove, something like two weeks.The threat of court action might spurthem into stopping.

Before contacting the court youshould get advice from a solicitor orthe Citizen’s Advice Bureau; you canfind your local branch in thetelephone book. They will probablyadvise you to speak to a solicitor andcan help you to find an experiencedone.

You may be able to get Legal Aid tocover the costs of the court case butonly if you have pursued the casethrough a solicitor.

Sacro National Office1 Broughton MarketEdinburgh EH3 6NUTel: 0131 624 7270

Email: info@national.sacro.org.uk

Further Information

Note: All the websites mentioned here tend to refer to English Law. Therewill be some differences with the law in Scotland however the generaladvice is useful. Make sure you say you are in Scotland if contactingthem for advice.

UK Noise Association and Resource ServiceThese websites have good practical advice on various noiseproblems through information and briefing sheets. Theservice also provides a self-help guide for thoseexperiencing noise problems.

Broken Wharf House2 Broken Wharf

London EC4V 3DT

Phone: 020 7329 0774Email: info@noiseresource.org

Web: www.ukna.org.ukWeb: www.noiseresource.org

National Society for Clean Air and EnvironmentalProtectionThe NSCA produce an annual guide to UK and European pollution controllegislation called the ‘Pollution Handbook’ for about £55. Their websiteprovides free advice, links and information on the annual Noise ActionWeek.

NSCA44 Grand Parade

Brighton BN2 9QA

Phone: 01273 878770Email: info@nsca.org.ukWeb: www.nsca.org.uk

Noise Abatement SocietyThe Noise Abatement Society seeks to remove unnecessary noise in all itsforms to improve the quality of life for all.

Helpline (10am-4pm): 01273 823851nas@noiseabatementsociety.fsnet.co.ukWeb: www.noiseabatementsociety.com

From Complaints toCampaigning

Remember try talking first! Most disputesare resolved in a friendly way if youapproach the person making the noise andexplain why you are affected and whatyou’d like to change. If this dialoguedoesn’t work you can use the advicebelow.

Complaints that get results

Complain to the right personDon’t know to whom you should becomplaining? Read the relevant sections inthis guide again. Hopefully this will saveyou being juggled between loads ofdepartments. It’s easy to give up indespair but don’t – oryour problem just won’tget fixed.

Prepare & recordyour complaintGather a few facts beforeyou make that call (infact, written complaintsare more effective). Whatis the problem? Where isit coming from? When and how often is ithappening? How bad is it? Ask theauthority what they are going to DO aboutit? Make a note of whom you are speakingto (or keep copy of your letter) and notethe date and actions they say they willtake (you may need this later…).

Demand to be kept informedThis doesn’t come naturally to allauthorities and it’s easy to assume that nonews means nothing is happening. Askingfor updates on the progress of yourcomplaint helps establish a dialogue andgives everyone a better understanding ofthe problem. It will also help you furtherdown the line if you’re still unhappy withthe results.

Following up complaintsFind out what’s been going onIf the problem isn’t resolved, don’t hesitateto get back to the authority to ask whythey can’t (or haven’t) fixed the problem(preferably get this in writing). Perhapsthey’ve looked into the matter and justhaven’t let you know. Also, remindingthem that the problem is still ongoing mayspur them into action. There can be awhole host of reasons why complaints arenot resolved, e.g. legal difficulties or lackof resources. It may be the authority justdoesn’t think the matter is serious enough.

Arm yourself with the factsDo a bit more research, ask questions andfind out more.

Now, get back tothe authority andargue your caseIf you think theauthority hasn’t doneits job properly, usetheir ‘complaintsprocedure’ to getsomeone ‘higher up’to look at theproblem.

Starting a campaignIf your letters and phone calls of complaintare not being listened to and the problemhasn’t gone away you may decide to starta public campaign. This will involve you,local residents, councillors, newspapersand maybe your MPs and MSPs. This canbe a great way to achieve a result. Startby speaking to your community counciland friends, organise a meeting and decidewhat to do next. Remember the morepeople onboard the bigger your voice!

The Nature of Sound (noise)It’s all about good vibrations! Sound occurswhen an object vibrates, like vocal chords, amusical instrument or a banging door. Thisvibration makes the surrounding air vibrate.This ‘pocket’ of vibrating air then makes theair surrounding it vibrate in the same way.This expanding movement of vibrating air iswhat we call a sound wave. We hear soundbecause the vibrating air makes oureardrums vibrate. These vibrations arechanged into electrical signals in our innerear and carried by the auditory nerve to ourbrain. Our brain then interprets the electricalsignal and we experience sound.

Types of Wave MotionWaves move by one of two types ofoscillating (vibrating) motion. Transversewaves oscillate perpendicular (at rightangles) to the direction the wave is travellingin (think about how a ‘wiggle’ moves along askipping rope). Longitudinal waves oscillatealong the same direction the wave istravelling in (harder to visualise but imaginea ‘slinky’ toy and pushing one end back andforth).

Sound waves are longitudinal waves, that is,the vibrating air, which makes our eardrumsvibrate, transmits via back and forthmovement. This back and forth movementcreates localised variation in air pressure (arepeating pattern of high pressure and lowpressure regions). This is why sound wavesare also sometimes referred to as pressurewaves.

How is Sound Measured?There are a number of terms used toquantify sound - which measurements areuseful and what do they actually mean?

Frequency (also known as ‘pitch’) is thedifference between ‘high’ or ‘squeaky’ noisescompared to ‘deep’ or ‘rumbling’ noises.Physically, the frequency of a sound refers tothe number of complete back and forthvibrations that take place over a given timeinterval. Frequency is measured in units ofHertz (Hz), where 1 Hz = 1 completevibration per second.

The human ear can perceive a huge range offrequencies from about 20 Hz up to 20,000Hz, sounds outside this frequency range existbut we just can’t hear them. Also, as you areprobably aware, some frequencies of noiseare more annoying (or indeed harmful) thanothers – which make setting noise limits a bitmore complicated.

Volume of a sound is actually ameasurement of the intensity of a sound.Intensity is the amount of energy beingtransported by a sound wave past a givenarea over a given time period. The moreenergy that goes into a sound wave (e.g.plucking a guitar string harder), the greaterthe size or amplitude of the vibration. Sohigh volume (intensity) sound waves havehigh energy and high amplitude, while lowvolume (intensity) sound waves have lowerenergy and lower amplitude.

The intensity of a sound wave is measured inWatts per unit area (W/m2). The faintestsound the human ear can detect has anintensity of 0.000000000001 W/m2 or 1 x10-12 W/m2 i.e it’s TINY! This faintest sound,which the human ear can detect, is known asthe threshold of hearing. The most intensesound, which the ear can safely detectwithout suffering any physical damage, ismore than one billion times more intensethan the threshold of hearing.

Because the range of sound intensities wecan hear is so large, a logarithmic scale(based on multiples of 10) is used to

3. Background Science

describe sound intensity called the decibelscale. Zero decibels (abbreviated 0 dB)means a sound we can only just hear, it’s thethreshold of hearing. A sound 10 timesmore intense (1 x 10-11 W/m2) is given asound level of 10 dB. A sound 100 timesmore intense (1 x 10-10 W/m2) is given asound level of 20 dB and so on. So 30 dB is1000 times more intense than the thresholdof hearing, 40 dB is 10000 times moreintense etc. The table below helps put thedecibel scale in context.

0 db Threshold of hearing

30 db Whisper

40 db Buzz of mosquito

50 db Normal conversation

70 db Vacuum cleaner

100 db Lawn mower

120 db Rock concert

130 db Jackhammer

150 db Nearby jet plane

Sometimes you will see sound levelsmeasured in dB(A). What does the (A)mean? The ‘A’ refers to a weighting network(there are four; A, B, C and D) which eachgive emphasis to different frequencies. Formost purposes, A–weighting is used. Thisweighting attempts to mimic the response ofthe ear (which doesn’t pick up lowfrequencies as well as higher ones). Forexample, at 20Hz, a level of 70dB wouldbecome 20dB with A-weighting.

Other terms you might come across includeLAeq,t and LA90.

LA90 is used as an indicator of ‘background’

noise level. It is the sound level exceeded for90% of the time. LAeq,t is an equivalent to

the average noise level over a period of time‘t’ (averaged from a number of soundmeasurements taken at various times).

Good vibrations!

The last word

Hopefully this FAQ-sheet has been useful. Youshould now feel more willing to speak to andwork with the people, authorities andcompanies that affect you and yourcommunity’s life. Go for it!

If you have more questions aboutincineration in Scotland get in touch withFriends of the Earth Scotland. Our contactdetails are below.

We would also like to hear your feedback orcomments to help us improve in the future.

Friends of the Earth Scotland, Lamb’s House, Burgess Street, Edinburgh EH6 6RD

Tel: 0131 554 9977 Email: info@foe-scotland.org.uk Web: www.foe-scotland.org.uk

Scottish charity: SC003442. Printed on 80% recycled post-consumer waste. July 2007

Working with people for a healthy environment. Supported by Sylvia Aitken Charitable Trust