The Noise Aaction Plan is designed to address the management of environmental noise affecting the Malta agglomeration from transport noise including road and air, together with industrial noise as well as Major Roads across the Maltese Islands. Noise as a nuisance and environmental noise pollution are different and are not interchangeable. It is continuous long-term exposure to noise that exceeds a limit that harms the environment that is considered as pollution.

The NAP is planned to:

• Provide an overview of the requirements and obligations of the national regulations transposing the END, the Assessment and Management of Environment Noise Regulations (S.L. 549.37).
• Present a summary of the results of the round 3 strategic noise maps within Malta.
• Present actions, which ERA intends to take in the next five years.

The NAP has the following objectives:

1. To outline a long-term plan aiming to avoid, prevent and reduce environmental noise, where necessary, and particularly where exposure levels can induce harmful effects on human health and preserving environmental noise quality where it is good.
2. To set out objectives for the monitoring and management of environmental noise in Malta.
3. To take a staged approach on a prioritised basis due to long-term exposure to environmental noise, in assessing the existing levels of environmental noise from the different noise sources to identify potential locations for actions.
4. To preserve relatively quiet areas in the agglomeration and in open countryside through the identification and delineation of such areas.

Consultation deadline: 19 December 2022

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