Despite the absence of decibel regulations, DEH focuses on targeting noisy neighbors.

The Department of Environmental Health (DEH) recently issued a notice on their Facebook page urging the public to cease loud noise activities in certain areas like schools, healthcare facilities, and residential premises. While they did not specify a decibel level, guidelines from healthyhearing.com offer examples of various dB levels for different activities. Factors like frequency or pitch also play a role in the complexity of the issue as hearing loss can impact what sounds are perceived at certain decibel levels. The DEH seems to be focusing on categorizing noise as a nuisance under the Public Health Act for enforcement.

Under the Public Health Act, a nuisance is defined as anything that causes annoyance, harm, danger, or injury to the senses of sight, smell, or hearing, among other things. If a statutory nuisance is found to exist, the Chief Environmental Health Officer can issue a notice to the responsible party to abate the nuisance within a specified timeframe. Failure to comply with the notice can result in an offense, especially if the nuisance was caused by the person’s deliberate actions. Determining what constitutes a statutory nuisance remains a subjective task.

On the other hand, the Town and Communities Act aims to bring objectivity to the issue by outlining prescribed noise levels that should not be exceeded. However, no regulations specifying these decibel levels have been issued yet, making enforcement a challenge. Any person who fails to comply with a request from a constable or environmental health officer to reduce noise levels can face fines or imprisonment for repeated offenses. As the lack of defined decibel levels continues to complicate enforcement, various groups, including the elderly, ill, and others impacted by loud noise, seek solutions through contacting the authorities and community activists.

The issue of loud noise is a pressing concern for many individuals, affecting their health and quality of life on a daily basis. Without clear guidelines on acceptable noise levels and enforcement mechanisms, resolving noise complaints becomes difficult. While the DEH emphasizes the need to halt loud noise activities, the absence of specific decibel levels in the relevant legislation creates challenges in addressing the issue effectively. As various stakeholders continue to grapple with the impact of excessive noise, finding a balance between individual freedoms and public health remains a key consideration in establishing clearer regulations to mitigate noise pollution.