Lawmakers call for regulation on domestic noise

During yesterday’s Legislative Assembly (AL) plenary meeting, many lawmakers called on the government to generate better measures for handling noise issues in the city. The director of the Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA), Tam Vai Man, said that the government would conduct research regarding low-frequency noises.

Yesterday, the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário, brought the noise law amendment to the lawmakers, with the amendment proposing that some public engineering projects’ night works only be announced on DSPA’s website and that a sign detailing the night work should be displayed at the concerned construction site. 

The amendment was passed, although 10 lawmakers expressed their concerns over domestic and low-frequency noises, including Sulu Sou and Agnes Lam. These lawmakers pointed out the noise coming from people’s entertainment activities in public spaces, for example singing and dancing in public gardens.

Lam proposed that the community committee help coordinate disputes over noise issues.

Including Lam herself, many lawmakers further noted that, in several cases, noise-makers or evidence of people making noise disappear when the governmental officers on law enforcement duty arrive at the noisy scene.

“How can the issue be solved when no evidence can ever be obtained?” Lam asked.

Pereira Coutinho said that “what I am seeing now is a very simple and disappointing amendment. The amendment should aim at protecting the residents’ health. Most people in the SAR work on shift duty. If [the city] only controls noise at night but does not amend the laws regarding noise during the day, I will not accept the amendment.”

“Should the government face the fact that many individual cases were unsolved?” Coutinho enquired.

In response to the lawmakers, Raimundo said “if it is needed, we will consider how to amend laws regarding domestic noise.”

According to statistics provided by the DSPA director, 85 percent of noise complaints were regarding noise during night periods, between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m.

“During the noise law legislative procedure, 15 percent of the people agreed with a 24-hour noise regulation. The majority agreed with regulating noise during a certain period,” said Tam.

Regarding noise coming from trash collection, Tam noted that, currently, Macau has more than 200 compression refuse collectors, and that in the north-eastern district there are pipe refuse collectors which can attenuate noise.

“We will continue paying attention to public opinion regarding domestic noise,” said Tam.   

Later, while making remarks about the noise law, Lam suggested a public consultation period on domestic noise control regime be held as soon as possible.  The bill was passed yesterday. JZ