Controlling environment noise—a hong kong experience

Abstract

Controlling environmental noise in a metropolitan city, like Hong Kong, has always been a challenge to both the Authority and the industries. This is partly attributable to the past neglect in environmental planning during the early 80s', and partly to the compacted urban settings in Hong Kong. Strategically, the Environmental Protection Department has attempted to pre-empt noise problems through early inventions in projects' planning stage, while in parallel effort was made to address existing noise problems through abatement programs and enforcement of the noise control legislation. This paper briefly outlines the overall framework being implemented in Hong Kong, both legislatively and administratively, to control different kinds of environmental noise sources. Some of the crucial thoughts in the framework and the experience gained through enforcing the relevant legislative provisions will be discussed.