TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1983
LARGE-SCALE SURVEY ON CONSTRUCTION NOISE
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THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY IS COMPLETING ITS COMPILATION OF PRELIMINARY FINDINGS OF A LARGE-SCALE SURVEY ON HOW TO CONTROL THE CONSTRUCTION NOISE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG.
THE FINDINGS ARE INTENDED FOR USE IN DEVELOPING GUIDELINES BY THE AUTHORITIES IN AMENDING EXISTING NOISE CONTROL LEGISLATION AND DRAFTING NEW ONES.
THE AMENDMENTS AND NEW CONTROLS WOULD THEN BE INCORPORATED IN A NEW NOISE CONTROL BILL.
THE SURVEY, THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND IN HONG KONG, IS BEING UNDERTAKEN BY THE SURVEY SECTION OF THE NOISE AND VIBRATION GROUP, EPA.
DR ANDREW KWAN, SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OFFICER WHO HEADS THE SECTION, SAID THE SURVEY BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER 1981 WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HIS UNIT AND WOULD CONTINUE IN THE YEARS TO COME AS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ONGOING EFFORT TO IMPROVE THE LIVING ENVIRONMENT,
DR KWAN POINTED OUT THAT A SURVEY CONDUCTED LAST YEAR INDICATED THAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG CONSIDERED ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION A SERIOUS PROBLEM,
AIR AND NOISE POLLUTION, IN PARTICULAR, DREW MUCH PUBLIC CONCERN, HE ADDED.
THE SOUND LEVEL OF THE AVERAGE BEDROOM IN SOME MORE NOISY LOCATIONS IN HONG KONG CAN BE AROUND 60 DB(A) -- AN AUD 10-MEASURING UNIT - WHICH HE CONSIDERED TO BE ON THE HIGH SIDE.
AN INCREASE OF EVERY 10 DB(A) MEANS THAT THE NOISE HAS DOUBLED, HE EXPLAINED.
AS AN EXAMPLE, HE SAID THAT ON A BUSY STREET WITH 80 DB(A) PEOPLE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HEAR EACH OTHER.
AMONG THE FIRST PROBLEMS COVERED BY THE SURVEY IS PILING AT CONSTRUCTION SITES WHICH DR KWAN DESCRIBED AS +UNQUESTIONABLY THE MOST INTRUSIVE AND PREVALENT NOISE SOURCE IN HONG KONG.
HE CONCEDED THAT THIS WAS A DIFFICULT PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE TERRITORY'S SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
MANY
+HONG KONG IS A HIGHRISE CITY DUE TO LAND SHORTAGE. BUILDINGS HAVE TO BE CONSTRUCTED ON RECLAIMED LAND OR SITES CARVED OUT OF HILLS SO THAT CONSIDERABLE PILING IS REQUIRED TO STRENGTHEN THE FOUNDATION FOR THE HEAVY LOADING, HE SAID.
THE INVESTIGATION COVERS NOISE CAUSED BY PILING AND ROCK-BREAKING EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS TECHNIQUES COMMONLY USED IN HONG KONG, SILENCED PILING DEVELOPED IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND POSSIBLE CONTROLS.
/ONE POSSIBILITY