CONSTRUCTION WORK (Amendment of regulations)

CONSTRUCTION WORK

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(Amendment of regulations): **

30.

Ms Indranee Rajah asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether the National Environment Agency will consider amending the Environmental Pollution Control (Control of Noise at Construction Sites) Regulations to disallow construction work from being carried out near hospitals, homes for the aged sick and residential areas during the hours of 10 pm to 7 am on weekdays and Saturdays, and the whole day on Sundays.

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Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: In a city-state like Singapore, construction activity often has to take place in the vicinity of other buildings. We need to take a pragmatic approach in regulating such construction noise nuisance, balancing the need for new development with the interest of residents in the surrounding area. Currently, the National Environment Agency (NEA) controls noise from construction sites by setting noise limits for different times of the day and night. The noise limits also vary according to the sensitivity of the areas to noise.

The approach of prescribing noise limits allows the construction industry the flexibility to adopt innovative measures to minimise noise disturbances, rather than face a blanket ban on construction work that would extend construction contract periods and penalise the industry.

Construction activities in the vicinity of noise-sensitive buildings such as hospitals, homes of the aged sick and schools, already have to meet more stringent noise limits. They cannot generate noise louder than the average ambient background level from 7.00 pm to 7.00 am. In 2004, NEA's data show that, while 8% of construction sites were in the vicinity of noise-sensitive buildings, less than 0.5% of complaints on noise from construction sites were from those near noise-sensitive buildings. This indicates that existing limits on noise in such areas have been complied with and are adequate.

On the other hand, about 95% of construction noise complaints are from residential buildings near construction sites. NEA is currently reviewing the construction noise control measures, and will take into account the public's expectation on the quality of life and the cost impact of more stringent measures on the construction industry.

In the meantime, NEA is monitoring the noise levels from construction sites and will continue to take enforcement action against the construction company when the noise levels from its construction site exceed the stipulated limits. I would like to urge the construction industry to remain considerate of neighbouring sites, particularly noise-sensitive buildings around their construction sites.

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