Abstract

AbstractLIFE MONZA project (Methodologies fOr Noise low emission Zones introduction And management) aims at defining an easy-replicable method for the identification and management of theNoise Low Emission Zones(Noise LEZ), urban areas subject to traffic restrictions, usually introduced in order to ensure compliance with the air pollutants limit values, prescribed by the European Directive on ambient air quality 2008/50/EC, whose impacts and potential benefits regarding noise issues have been taken into account, tested and analysed in a pilot area of the city of Monza, located in North Italy. Noise LEZ has been established in Libertà district, introducing infrastructural interventions carried out by the municipality (top-down actions) and encouraging an active involvement of the citizens, in the definition of a more sustainable lifestyle (bottom-up actions). The analysis of potential effects on noise reduction due to the Noise LEZ can contribute to the implementation of the EU Directive 2002/49/EC, related to the assessment and management of environmental noise (Environmental Noise Directive – END), which introduces noise action plans, designed to manage noise issues and their effects, suggesting the adoption of urban and mobility planning. Noise and air quality monitoring activities have been carried out in pilot area inanteandpost-operamconditions. The monitoring methods, the measurement techniques, the analysis procedures, able to describe the effects due to Noise LEZ establishment, for both the main environmental issues are reported in this paper, as proposals to be applied in other different contexts. Results of monitoring activities highlight a reduction of noise, in term of sound pressure levels, betweenanteandpost-operam, during the day and particularly during the night period, and it is essentially due to the interventions realised. The effect of the Noise LEZ on air pollution seems to be negligible for combustion related pollutant and carbon fractions of PM, due both to the moderate spatial effects of the measures undertaken and confounding factors due to concomitant emission sources and meteorology.

Highlights

  • Noise and air pollutions are considered as major environmental risks for human health in Europe

  • For PM10, comparing annual averages, we found inside the Noise Low Emission Zones (LEZs) (Viale della Libertà) values lower expost by 18% vs ex-ante

  • If we look at the NO2 concentrations, it seems that the eventual effect due to the Noise LEZ alone was too little to be highlighted

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Summary

Introduction

Noise and air pollutions are considered as major environmental risks for human health in Europe. The realization of Low Emission Zones (LEZs), which are urban areas subject to different kinds of road traffic restrictions, has been primarily introduced in order to ensure compliance with the air pollutants limit values set by the European Directive on ambient air quality 2008/50/EC. It is a well-established measure carried out by the cities and the effects on air quality have been analyzed in detail, whereas the potential benefits about noise have not been addressed in a comprehensive manner. The ante and post-operam monitoring results both for noise and air quality are reported and, according to the parallel analysis of the two environmental issues, a discussion is carried out, based on the comparison of the results obtained by the monitoring campaigns in ante and post-operam phases, highlighting the effects of the Noise LEZ establishment

Pilot area and implemented top-down interventions
Class I noise monitoring system
Smart noise monitoring system
Temporal pattern
Spatial pattern
Spatial variability assessment using GAM model
Validation of the smart system with a traditional noise measurement chain
Air quality status and trend in the study area
Spatial variability assessment
Comparison between ante and post-operam results for air quality
Findings
Conclusion
Full Text
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