A store in HCM City plays loud music to attract customers (Photo: doisongphapluat.com) HCM City (VNA) - Noise pollution in urban areas, mostly caused by traffic, factories and construction sites, has become more severe in recent years, affecting the quality of life.
As the number of cars and motorbikes has increased in Ho Chi Minh City, the honking habits of drivers and noise from vehicles have both contributed to the noise levels.
Loud music from bars, restaurants and stores has also become disruptive, with owners often blasting out promotional music at ear-piercing levels, sometimes to midnight.
Nguyen Thi Thuy, a resident living on Dien Bien Phu street in HCM City’s District 1, said she had often lost sleep because of noise in the neighbourhood.
“I’ve installed soundproof windows and walls, but they are still useless,” she said.
Nguyen Vinh An, a resident from Binh Thanh district, said dust and noise pollution had affected his son’s ability to study and his mother’s sleep and health.
According to national standards issued in 2010, the noise level limit for special areas like hospitals and schools has reached a decibel level of 55dBA and 45dBA from 6am-9pm and 9pm-6am, respectively. The figure for residential areas is 70dBA and 55dBA.
In May, HCM City reported that noise at eight traffic points exceeded the national standard, reaching 70-83.5 dBA.
According to the report, people living or working near noisy places are susceptible to neurological diseases, headaches, difficulty in concentrating, and higher anxiety levels.
Under current regulations, noise pollution levels are subject to fines of up to 160 million VND (7,000 USD) for individuals and 320 million VND (14,000 USD) for organisations.
Violators can also be required to suspend operations for three months to a year, depending on the severity of their infringement.
However, enforcement has been difficult as the city has more than 8 million registered vehicles, according to Vo Khanh Hung, deputy director of the city’s Department of Transport.
Phung Chi Sy, deputy secretary general of the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment, said that owners should schedule periodic maintenance of their vehicles and the city should plant more trees.-VNA
As the number of cars and motorbikes has increased in Ho Chi Minh City, the honking habits of drivers and noise from vehicles have both contributed to the noise levels.
Loud music from bars, restaurants and stores has also become disruptive, with owners often blasting out promotional music at ear-piercing levels, sometimes to midnight.
Nguyen Thi Thuy, a resident living on Dien Bien Phu street in HCM City’s District 1, said she had often lost sleep because of noise in the neighbourhood.
“I’ve installed soundproof windows and walls, but they are still useless,” she said.
Nguyen Vinh An, a resident from Binh Thanh district, said dust and noise pollution had affected his son’s ability to study and his mother’s sleep and health.
According to national standards issued in 2010, the noise level limit for special areas like hospitals and schools has reached a decibel level of 55dBA and 45dBA from 6am-9pm and 9pm-6am, respectively. The figure for residential areas is 70dBA and 55dBA.
In May, HCM City reported that noise at eight traffic points exceeded the national standard, reaching 70-83.5 dBA.
According to the report, people living or working near noisy places are susceptible to neurological diseases, headaches, difficulty in concentrating, and higher anxiety levels.
Under current regulations, noise pollution levels are subject to fines of up to 160 million VND (7,000 USD) for individuals and 320 million VND (14,000 USD) for organisations.
Violators can also be required to suspend operations for three months to a year, depending on the severity of their infringement.
However, enforcement has been difficult as the city has more than 8 million registered vehicles, according to Vo Khanh Hung, deputy director of the city’s Department of Transport.
Phung Chi Sy, deputy secretary general of the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment, said that owners should schedule periodic maintenance of their vehicles and the city should plant more trees.-VNA
VNA
