Thought it was just your imagination? Well, it's not. Israel
is loud compared to other countries. A study conducted by the
Ministry of the Environment two years ago found that Israelis
are second only to Japan on the noise scale. "We are a
society that lives under high-volume conditions," says Dr.
Stilian Galberg, head of the Department for Noise and
Radiation Prevention at the Ministry of the Environment.
Is a game of catch played by shouting children defined as
noise? What about music at medium volume? A rattling air
conditioner the neighbors have to endure? How do we define at
what level noise becomes a nuisance?
What is considered disturbing is obviously a subjective
matter. The "disturbance threshold" varies from one
individual to the next and depends not just on the noise
level and the duration of exposure, which can both be
measured, but also on factors such as age, the degree of
involvement in the experience, the type of noise and its
location.
Nevertheless, there are objective definitions for noise
levels that are disturbing or are liable to pose a health
hazard. According to the Ministry of the Environment, noise
above 60 decibels is considered disturbing. Noise above 65
decibels is considered noise that harms the quality of life.
Above 70 decibels is considered damaging and 95 decibels for
a period of 30 minutes or more causes real damage!
To get an idea of what these numbers mean, the hearing
threshold is 0 decibels. A whisper is 20 decibels. Normal
conversation is 70 decibels. Noise from a vehicle registers
at 80-85 decibels and a motorcycle reaches 90 decibels. This
level of noise causes a feeling of genuine discomfort.
The noise in simchah halls can be as high as 95-100
decibels, depending on the placement of the orchestra and the
acoustics in the facility. Secular youths in their
entertainment spots are exposed to noise levels of 100-120
decibels—similar to standing in close proximity to a
plane during takeoff or artillery fire.
Israel has a relatively high sensitivity to noise pollution
and its legislation is considered among the most progressive
in the world. A law on the books since 1961 prohibits causing
strong or unreasonable noise that disturbs or is liable to
disturb people in close proximity to the source of the
noise.
Who decides what is "unreasonable noise?" Toward this end,
there are regulations set by the Ministry of the Environment
and the Institute for Safety and Hygiene. Unreasonable noise
is defined in the regulations according to five different
types of buildings, taking into account the duration of the
noise and the time of day (mainly whether it is 6:00 am to
10:00 p.m., or 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 am).
The definition depends on several factors: The location of
the noise — The permitted noise level in
residential areas is not the same as the permitted noise
level in commercial or industrial areas. The source of the
noise — Some types of noise are banned outright,
such as loudspeakers in residential areas. Other types of
noise cannot be prohibited, such as loud conversation inside
the home. Duration — Some noises might be
considered reasonable for a short time but if they continue
they will turn into a prohibited disturbance. Time of
day — Obviously most of the conventional noises
that are not disruptive by day and are even necessary (e.g.
clearing garbage bins) constitute a disturbance by night.
What can one do in the event of noise pollution? The
law is already on the books; the real problem, as usual, is
inadequate enforcement. The bodies in charge of controlling
noise from highways, airports, etc. are the Ministry of the
Environment, the Local Authority and the Department of Public
Works (e.g. building acoustic walls).
Police are authorized and obligated to handle noise
complaints in residential areas but as everyone knows, they
are too busy to take care of such matters. Also, it may be a
halachic sheila if one may call police for things like
this. There are established legal channels to address noise
complaints and policemen are authorized to give fines on the
spot.
Legislation is also in the works to impose restrictions on
noise levels at wedding and event halls to protect guests and
visitors from "coercive noise." Young children and the
elderly are particularly vulnerable.
According to M. Roginsky of the Department for Noise
Prevention, a joint professional committee she headed with
members from the Ministry of the Environment and the local
authorities issued recommendations and regulations on this
issue. One of the committee's recommendation's was to require
hall owners to install sound gauges that would automatically
disconnect the amplification system if the volume exceeds the
level determined by law. Installing a sound gauge would be a
condition for granting a business license. The regulations
are currently stuck in the Justice Ministry, which is slow in
approving them and thus sparing the public from noise.
The Ministry of the Environment points to a variety of ways
to prevent excess noise, starting in the planning stage. For
example before laying a road or building an airport project,
managers must order a survey of environmental effects,
including a noise assessment. Advanced building standards can
guarantee a high level of acoustic insulation. Standards for
electrical appliances such as washing machines and air
conditioners limit the amount of noise, or at least require
the manufacturer to inform the consumer how much noise the
appliance makes.
The noise level can be reduced but the longed-for peace and
quiet will come only when the "human factor" learns to show
consideration for the neighbors.
Existing Regulations
The following are a few of the more useful legal regulations
for the individual citizen:
* While driving on city streets, do not honk except in case
of immediate danger.
* Do not sing, shout, or turn up the volume on the radio,
tape or CD player from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. or from 11:00
p.m. to 7:00 am in residential areas in the following places:
outside, in structures that are not fully enclosed, or in
residential buildings.
* The law exempts the following times from these limitations:
celebrations on Purim Night, Independence Day
(lehavdil), the eve of rest days, and following rest
days until midnight.
* Operating construction equipment in residential areas is
strictly prohibited between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. and on
rest days, unless the machinery is urgently required to
prevent a safety hazard or a public disturbance. Repair and
renovation work may not be carried out (or permitted to be
carried out) in residential buildings from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00
am.
* Trash bins, storage containers, casks, gas containers,
etc., should not be moved in a manner that is liable to
create noise, from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. and on rest
days.
* In residential areas, loudspeakers should not be used to
promote sales, services or performances, or to make
announcements.
* When installing an alarm system in a vehicle: the alarm
should not continue for more than one minute at a time and
not more than a total of three minutes during any five-minute
period. Afterwards, the alarm should stop sounding
automatically and not start again. The alarm system may not
exceed a noise level of 87 decibels, at a distance of one
meter from the vehicle. The owner of the vehicle is
responsible for the system's proper operation and its
immediate shutdown in the event of malfunction. The owner of
a vehicle with an alarm system must display a sign in one of
the windows listing the name and phone number of someone he
authorizes to take care of the alarm.
