I refer to the contribution of Ivan Camilleri from Brussels regarding the EU position on noise pollution (SToM, 31 August).

First of all let me start by making it clear that I have been trying to reach an agreement with the Church authorities for the past eight years, ever since the clock, which was a millennium gift to the parish, was installed in 2000. Secondly, the judicial protest was sent to several entities because they have been repeatedly requested, since the Senglea clock has been installed, to investigate the fact that the clock chimes every 15 minutes, 68 times a day, at intolerable levels without a permit, to the detriment of my family and the community that lives round the church. It was sent to the EU Representation Office in Malta on 29th July because it failed to ensure that the Ministry of Environment complied with the process of transposing the EU Noise Directive 2002/49/EC. Before doing this, noise strategic maps had to be drawn up by June 2007 in several towns and villages to establish their background and community noise levels. According to the charts of the commissioned noise survey report, community noise level in the piazza in Senglea ranges from 53 dBA to 58 dBA, but the noise of the church clock is 85 to 90 dBA every 15 minutes, an increase of around 30 dBA that is far above the community noise displayed in the charts of the area. Therefore, the clock should be considered harmful to health and not allowed to chime anymore.

The WHO Guidelines for Community Noise

In its various discussions to compile the EU Noise Directive, the Commission has taken on board the research work that the World Health Organisation has conducted on noise pollution for several years. Indeed many EU countries have adopted the thresholds referred to by the WHO before the 2002 noise directive.

For example, Chapter 4.3.1 of the WHO Guidelines for Community Noise provides very specific thresholds; it recommends 30 dB/45 dBA for the night, and 55 dBA for a steady continuous noise during the day. The same chapter stresses: “To protect the majority of people from being moderately annoyed during the daytime, the outdoor sound pressure level should not exceed 50 dB LAeq. These values are based on annoyance studies, but most countries in Europe have adopted 40 dB LAeq as the maximum allowable level for new developments (Gottlob 1995).” Indeed, most EU countries have adopted 45 dBA for the night, and 50 or 55 dBA for the day as an overall national reference.

For example, Spain, a country renowned for noise, the maximum legal noise level allowed during the day is 55 dBA and 45 dBA at night has finally allowed Antonio Rus who lives next to Jaen cathedral to silence the clock that rings every 15 minutes as it was ringing far above the established community limits. In other parts of Spain, in Villahoz, near Burgos in northern Spain, a court declared that the din caused by the bells of the church as illegal at 82.5 dBA, and a resident at Betera in Valencia won a legal action against the church clock because it rang 72 times a day. (London Times, 31 December 2007).

In Genoa, the local council introduced fines of up to €670 for churches that breach noise-pollution edicts. The rules also forbid them chiming the quarter or half-hour, and advises priests to use bells “in moderation”, says Luca Dall’Orto of the Genoa council. He continues, “We carried out a number of measurements of church bells across the city and found that several places were in breach of noise regulations,” and, “We have also asked that even during religious festivals, chimes last no longer than three minutes. If these guidelines are breached, the churches involved will be fined.” (Telegraph, 29 May 2007).

The Noise Strategic map exercise is part and parcel of the Noise Directive and is designed to cut down on noise in worst affected areas by drawing up action plans to reduce noise. Something that is not happening in Malta because the National Environment Health Action Plan is still in draft form and is waiting for the results of the noise strategic maps (although the Health Authorities could easily have adopted the WHO noise levels like other countries long ago).

Moreover, the Noise Directive brings with it the obligation of the Aarhus convention, which states that people have to be informed of the health hazards imposed on them, as they may be suffering from stress without knowing.

Medical literature reveals that noise increases stress and anger, which raises blood pressure. A German study, published in the European Heart Journal, of more than 2,000 heart attack patients found that those exposed to more than 60 decibels noise had an increased risk of heart attack. (Telegraph, 6 June).

So in view of all the above relevant information, the likely questions an EU official from the Environment Directorate would ask, if approached on the Senglea clock issue, would be the following:

1. Did you go on-line and type in your postcode to check what the noise strategic map of your area reveals?

2. What does the National Environmental Health Action Plan say to protect you from loud intrusive noise levels in residential areas and next to schools?

3. What are the legal decibel limits established by the National Authorities, including the Law Courts, for village squares?

A few months ago the EU Ombudsman Office advised that I could only register a complaint if an EU institution has caused distress because it failed in its duties.

Anna Spiteri

SENGLEA