Municipal noise policy in the Netherlands, 2000
The number of municipal authorities that adopted a noise exposure level or noise policy in 2000. A distinction is made between municipalities with a population of more than 40,000 and smaller municipalities.
Number of municipalities with a noise policy
Approximately 13% of municipal authorities have adopted a noise exposure level or noise policy. The percentage for large and urban municipalities is higher than for smaller and less urban municipalities. The figure shows this by breaking down municipalities according to whether they have more or fewer than 40,000 inhabitants. The respective percentages for these categories are 32% and 8%.
Policy
The definition of 'noise exposure level or noise policy' includes policy based on the 'Handreiking Industrielawaai Vergunningverlening 1998' (1998 Guide for Permits for Industrial Noise) or a municipal noise memorandum based on the policy memorandum 'Modernisering Instrumentarium Geluid' (Modernisation of Legal Instruments for Noise (MIG)). These may be separate noise memoranda or a noise exposure level/noise policy in another plan such as a municipal environmental policy plan.
It has proved difficult to combat local noise sources at the national level. Central government therefore wishes to introduce extensive decentralisation of the noise policy. The result is the updating of the Noise Abatement Act (introduction of the MIG).
No performance objectives have yet been adopted for the number of government bodies, municipal authorities and provincial authorities with a noise exposure level or noise plan. Provincial authorities are waiting until the MIG is completed before adopting noise policies.
Technical note
The Government Monitoring Coordination Committee asks all municipal authorities about their environment policy every year. Approximately 200 of the nearly 500 municipal authorities replied in 2000. The indicator is based on the responses from these 200 municipal authorities. It is not known whether the presented figures are representative for all municipal authorities.
References
- CCO (2001). Overheidsmonitoring, Jaarrapportage 2000, Milieumonitor, nr. 3 December 2001
