Noise Pollution and the Enforcement of Environmental Laws in Addis Ababa: The Practice and Challenges
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Date
2020-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Nowadays, along with air and water pollution; noise pollution also hits the public life and creates
problems to the normal life. Noise: which implies to ‘unwanted sound’ or ‘sound that is loud,
unpleasant or unexpected, has an impact on human health and environment. According to WHO
standards, noise level beyond 90 decibel damages to health and ontological (ear diseases) effects. It is a
distracter that prohibits us from performing at optimum ability, reduces the quality of life, and in cases,
it may cause irreversible loss of hearing. The primary objective of this study is to assess the main
sources and impacts of noise pollution and examine the implementation of environmental pollution
control laws in Addis Ababa. The central issues of this study is identifying whether the regulatory
organs regulating noise pollutions are properly enforcing the relevant laws or not.
The subjects of this study were environmental experts those working under the regulatory organs at
various governmental levels including those working in Federal FECCC, AAEPA and each sub city
environmental protection office in Addis Ababa. Data were collected by using a structured survey
questionnaire and analyzed by descriptive methods. The findings of the study show that different sources
have contributed for generation of noise pollution. These include: noise level generated from night
clubs, bar, restaurants, religious places, industry, vehicles and so on so forth. The findings also indicate
that the noise level released from night clubs, bar and restaurants are beyond the permitted standards.
Sounds released from religious places with microphone are very high and noisy. But most of the
complaints are associated to night clubs, bar and restaurants. The regulatory organs take only the
administrative measures such as giving of warning notice sealing, relocating and so forth. No polluters
brought to the court either in civil or criminal suit based on environmental pollution control
proclamation number 300/2002 or criminal law of Ethiopia’s the results of this study have shown
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Keywords
Sound, Noise, Noise pollution, sources of noise, effect of noise