The municipal government of Shanghai is preparing to implement measures that will tackle noise pollution. This comes amid increasing public dissatisfaction with noise levels in the sprawling city, according to Asia One.
Shanghai’s local environmental protection departments receive an average of 100,000 complaints about noise pollution each year, which account for almost half of all environmental pollution complaints. With Shanghai being such a congested city – with a population of 23 million – the authorities will undoubtedly face difficulties in implementing such measures successfully.
The precise nature of the measures is yet to be announced, but reports suggest that they will focus on controlling the use of loudspeakers in parks and residential streets, banning construction work on residential buildings during specified hours, and limiting noise pollution at schools.
This is just the latest example of the Chinese government trying to limit noise pollution in major cities.
China Daily reported at the beginning of last year that each of the 113 major cities in China was being asked to erect at least one billboard by the end of 2011 to inform the public of the amount of noise it generates. City governments are also being required to strengthen their monitoring of noise at construction sites and transport hubs.
Shanghai residents shouldn’t feel too down. According to World Health Organisation data, there are at least four cities classified as noisier in the world. Tokyo, New York, Nagasaki and Buenos Aires were ranked the top four noisiest cities despite laws in all these cities to combat noise pollution, the BBC reports.
Guest post by Chris Agass