1. Project Title: Noise Monitoring and Noise Recognition and Control of Motor Vehicles Exhaust Pipes in Tainan City, 2021
2. Executive Organiser: JS Environmental Technology and Energy Saving Co., Ltd
3. Principal Investigator: Jun-neng Chen
4. Dates: 11st March 2021 to 10th March 2022
5. Budget: NT$ 11,027,000
6. Executive Summary
The major tasks of this project are to: (1) monitor and measure noise levels in general areas and noise from road traffic; (2) monitor and measure in noise pollution sites from citizens’ complaints or designated sites by the EPB; (3) measure noise levels of the stationary noise of operating motor vehicles; (4) inspect and control the acceleration noise of motor vehicles; (5) inspect the airport and measure the parallel noise level of aircrafts; (6) assist in reviewing and revising noise control relevant regulation announcements of Tainan City and organise noise consultative meetings (or promotion, information meetings); (7) control construction noise, assist in improvement in construction sites or organize meetings of noise reduction for large public works and attend construction sites pollution control consultation meetings, promote noise control and reduction laws; (8) execute the noise control tasks assigned by the Performance Evaluation of Environmental Protection Agency; (9) Other noise control relevant assignments such as religious events noise control, measuring non-ionizing radiation, monitoring and measuring in light pollution sites from citizens’ complaints or designated sites by the EPB, updating online information and timeliness regularly and maintaining the noise control website of Tainan City. The results are summarized below.
(1) Monitor and measure noise levels in general areas and noise from road traffic in Tainan City: In this project, the monitoring and measuring are completed in 12 environmental noise measuring stations and 12 road traffic noise measuring stations. As required, the monitoring days shall amount to 192 days. During the project time from 11 March 2021 to 10 March 2022, 212 days are completed. The data and photos of each season are uploaded to the Noise Control Information System of the EPA. In addition, the monitoring of season 1 2022 continues for up to 6 days by the end of March. The total monitoring days amount to 218 days at an achievement rate of 114%.
(2) Monitor and measure noise pollution sites from citizens’ complaints and designated sites by the EPB: 10 monitoring procedures are executed at an achievement rate of 100% -- 8 for citizens’ complaints and 2 for designated sites by the EPB. The results are by relevant noise control regulations.
(3) Measure noise levels of the stationary noise of operating motor vehicles: It is prescribed in the project that 82 inspecting events shall be held (including joint spot check and check by notification). By the end of 2022 February, 103 inspection events are carried out at an achievement rate of 126%. Among them, spot check amounts to 43 (5 are cancelled due to rain and pandemic, the actual events are 38). 1,745 vehicles are pulled over at an achievement rate of 134% and 395 are measured at an achievement rate of 198%; 138 are reported at a reporting rate of 35% (over 20%). The number of recalled vehicles from citizens or police reports, or vehicles transferred from other cities and counties, and spot check amounts to 2,295 (2,127 passed and 124 failed) at an improvement rate of 95%.
(4) Inspect and control the acceleration noise of motor vehicles: by the end of February 2022, 65 joint spot check events are carried out. 39 of them are done with daytime inspection and thus are not included. In total 26 are done (the target is 24) at an achievement rate of 100%. 116,313 car license plate recognition are done (target 20,000) at an achievement rate of 100%. Making and putting signboards of technological evidence investigation in 20 spots (target 20) at an achievement rate of 100%. The stationary evidence investigation system is carried out for 402 days (target 24 days) at an achievement rate of 100%.
(5) Inspect the airports and measure the parallel noise level of aircraft: seasonal reports of Tainan Airport and Gui-ren airdrome are completed from seasons 1 to 4. The aircraft’s noise measuring station and monitoring centre are inspected. Besides, noise measurement outside the airport is done at 5 sites.
(6) Assist in reviewing and revising noise control relevant regulation announcement of Tainan City and organise noise pollution relevant consultative meetings (or promotion, information meetings): one of the key tasks of this project is to assist in reviewing and revising, or recreating the announcing procedure of the legal process for the Noise Control Act Articles 7, 8, and 9. Article 7 is announced on 13th January 2021 and the reviewing announcement draft is as section 3.6-1. Article 8 is announced on 8th February 2021 and Article 9-I-6 is announced on 14th March 2017 and no revision is made for both of them this year. Regarding the consultative meetings, 2 noise control promoting meetings are held at an achievement rate of 100%. They are “Operating Motor Vehicles Noise Control Coordination Meeting” on 10th November 2021 and “Vehicle Noise and Air Pollution Active Control in Campus in Tainan City” on 24th November 2021.
(7) In the project, it is prescribed to attend one construction site’s pollution control and inspection meeting. We attend 2 meetings on “Promotion of Construction Sites Pollution Prevention Law” by the construction sites pollution control project at an achievement rate of 100%. 61 inspections, promotion and consultation meetings are organized jointly with construction projects (including on-site consultation or encourage huge public works control and prevent its noise according to “Key Points of Strengthening Management of Air Pollution and Noise Control in Public Works”, or one meeting of communication on noise reduction and prevention). 78 events are carried out at an achievement rate of 128%.
(8) Execute the noise control tasks assigned by the Performance Evaluation of Environmental Protection Agency: uploading the executive information and results to the Noise Control Information System (http://ncs.epa.gov.tw/ncs/) every season, compiling an annual report to the EPB and subsequently submitting the EPB-authorized report to the EPA. The result of the performance evaluation this year is 1.9 points (the full marks are 2).
(9) Other assignments relating to noise pollution control: this project also assists in inspecting 4 religious events in temples. Besides, 40 non-ionizing radiation measurements in the environment are done at an achievement rate of 100% including Extremely Low Frequency or Radio Frequency. As required, 16 light pollution spots from citizens’ complaints or designated sites by the EPB are measured and monitored at an achievement rate of 100%. The website is maintained and updated every month regularly to provide the monitoring results of the noise levels in the environment and from the traffic, as well as information and links for the latest events.
