Colin Cobbing
Health effects of noise and EIA
September 2014
colin.cobbing@armacoustics.co.uk
www.armacoustics.co.uk
EIA Directives
• EIA is required to determine likely significant effects of
major projects such as a new railway.
• EIA Regulations require the identification of likely significant
effects (both positive and negative), and the description of
the measures envisaged in order to avoid, reduce and, if
possible, remedy significant adverse effects
Health effects of noise and EIA
• Some confusion as to whether EIA should
include the health effects of noise
• Any confusion which may have prevailed is
now reconciled by the 2014 EIA Directive i.e.
the effects on human health are now included
in the information that must be assessed and
reported.
Health effects of noise
• The health effects of noise will depend upon
definition.
• WHO definition of health is the most widely
accepted i.e. complete state of physical, mental and
social well-being.
• The health effects of noise will include annoyance,
sleep disturbance, cognitive impairment,
interference with communication, cardiovascular
effects and mental health effects.
Babish model for health effects
EIA and noise policy
• The 2014 EIA Directive strengthens the link between EIA and
National Noise Policy. Point 5 of Annex IV is reproduced
• “The description of the likely significant effects on the factors
specified in Article 3(1) should cover the direct effects and any
indirect, secondary, cumulative, transboundary, short-term,
medium-term and long-term, permanent and temporary,
positive and negative effects of the project. This description
should take into account the environmental protection
objectives established at Union or Member State level which
are relevant to the project.”
Noise and health
• There is increasing recognition and
importance of noise and health and quality of
life
• Noise Policy Statement for England 2010
Scoping
• Scoping should include identifying potential
effects on human beings and aspects of
human health that may be affected
• Important to recognise that noise exposure is
only a proxy for effects on humans
Methodology
• Methodology be developed to address the effects on
quality of life and health
• Different effects may need to be considered
separately to reflect the differences in response e.g.
sleep disturbance be considered separately from
annoyance and that different methods/ descriptors
be used for different effects,
• Scientific evidence on the effects of noise be used to
inform the methodology
• The methodology must deal with uncertainty and
limitations.
HS2 impact criteria- residential
Direct long term operational sound impacts identified where:
• An absolute sound level at or above 50 dB LpAeq,16hr (day)
and 40 dB LpAeq,8hr (night) and the magnitude of the
impact and its effect on a receptor is indicated by the
change in the equivalent continuous sound level as defined
in Table 33.
SMR Table 33 Airborne sound from operational train
or road movements - impact criteria
Long term
Short term
Impact
Impact Classification
Classification
Sound level change dB LpAeq,T
(positive or negative)
T = either 16hr day or 8hr
night
Negligible
Negligible
≥ 0 dB and < 1 dB
Minor
Minor
Moderate
≥ 1 dB and < 3 dB
≥ 3 dB and < 5 dB
Moderate
Major
≥ 5 dB and < 10 dB
Major
≥ 10 dB
Significant effects- residential
Significant effects determined taking account factors:
• Type of effect being considered;
• The number and grouping of receptors subject to impacts;
• The magnitude of the impacts and available dose-response
information;
• The existing sound environment in terms of the absolute
level and the character of the existing soundscape;
• Any unique features which may require secondary acoustic
indicators / criteria);
• The potential combined impacts of sound and vibration
HS2 effects criteria for residential- 2
• Operational noise significant adverse effect identified where
absolute free-field sound level at or above 65 dB
LpAeq,16hr (day)
• At night an absolute free-field sound level at or above 55 dB
LpAeq,8hr; or
• 85 dB LpAFmax (outside) (where the number of events
exceeding this value is less than or equal to 20); or
• A level above 80 dB LpAFmax at the façade (outside) of a
residential receptor (where the number of events exceeding
this value is greater than 20).