Community response to noise: Research in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and Newly Independent States

The systems of public complaints on environmental noise were reviewed in seven countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), South-East Europe (SEE) and Newly Independent States (NIS). Public complaints remain an important issue due to variability in public sensitivity to noise and due to several cases where a measurement of noise intensity does not give a satisfying solution to the problem. The outstanding problem remains the noise in the residential neighborhoods coming from pubs and restaurants that are open late at night. In our review we compiled information on institutions responsible for implementation of environmental noise legislation and organizations that are responsible for dealing with public complaints. Information on activities for increasing public awareness on hazards rising from environmental noise and the role of civil initiative was explored. In seven countries, among them Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Serbia and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia the responsibilities and duties are shared among different institutions at national and regional levels, depending on noise source. The problem of gathering information on complaints and using that information for improving the wellbeing and health of citizens remains often unsolved.JRC.I.1-Chemical Assessment and Testin