About Noise Action Week

Every year Noise Action Week raises awareness of the problems too much noise causes in our communities. Noise in the wrong place and at the wrong time disrupts our relaxation and work, disturbs sleep and its impact on our  health and well being has been recognised by the Chief Medical Officer.

 

What happens during Noise Action Week?

Noise Action Week provides a focus for local authorities, housing providers, mediation services and all those involved in neighbourhood noise management to raise awareness of  practical solutions to noise problems. There are many ways to do this – including  visiting areas where noise is a problem to offer advice to residents to carrying out local radio phone ins or online campaigns to offer advice and support.

There are are often simple ways to avoid problem noise – like keeping the volume down. However, noise management services are available to help with more serious complaints. Often a noise problem is simply a lack of thought or consideration of the time of day and people around – Noise Action Week aims to get everyone considering the impact of the noise they make.

Participants inNoise Action Week find the day useful and fun. Here is what some previous say:

“the opportunity to get out into the community and talk face to face about ways in which it (noise) can be prevented is too good to miss.”
Paul Clarke of North Norfolk DC

“We feel it does make a difference, and it is reducing the number of complaints we are getting. We do feel that with events like this, that even if it helps one person it is useful.”
Michael Swoffer, Swale DC

All those involved in neighbourhood noise management can engage their local community in reducing every day noise by:

• Highlighting the problems noise disturbance can cause
• Promoting practical solutions to noise problems
• Promoting communication and consideration between neighbours
• Informing communities of noise-related services available
• Educating and informing noise makers and noise sufferers about noise reduction
• Encouraging everyone to take a quiet moment to consider the noises they make

Noise Action Week is an annual initiative coordinated by Environmental Protection UK since 1996. EPUK is a voluntary organisation supported by pollution control professionals which has been working for a cleaner, quieter, healthier world since 1898.