TRADING DECIBELS: OVERVIEW OF A CAP AND TRADE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR NOISE EMISSIONS

Authors

  • Donald Christopher Lambert Patching Associates Acoustical Engineering Ltd.
  • Samuel Bernard Lacrampe Patching Associates Acoustical Engineering Ltd.

Abstract

Over the past few decades, cap and trade regulatory programs have demonstrated success at reducing regulated pollutants and their consequences, such as acid rain and ground-level ozone.  Could cap and trade programs also achieve similar success in reducing industrial noise as a pollutant?  This paper explores that possibility, outlining the feasibility and challenges.

In the same way that air pollutants from multiple emitters combine within an airshed, noise from multiple industrial facilities combines and imposes cumulative impacts upon far-field receivers (residences, people).  Just as air pollutants are regulated at both the source (command and control limits) and after dispersion (ambient air quality standards), so is noise (OH&S standards for working in proximity to noisy equipment, and bylaws or similar regulations for cumulative noise levels in the ambient environment).  The similarities certainly make the prospect of a cap and trade regulatory program for noise appear to be feasible and worthy of further evaluation.

A cap and trade program for industrial noise could offer facility operators a means to identify a greater number of optimized compliance solutions for reducing regulated noise.  In turn, this offers more options to maximize a facility’s margin of compliance, reduce compliance risk, reduce noise control project costs, and reinforce the facility’s social license to operate.  In this paper, the authors offer their perspectives, an illustrative example, views of challenges and opportunities, and suggestions for such a regulatory program that could benefit facility operators, the environment, and society as a whole.

Author Biographies

Donald Christopher Lambert, Patching Associates Acoustical Engineering Ltd.

Donald C. Lambert, P. Eng. is the Director of Business Development for Patching Associates Acoustical Engineering Ltd. in Calgary, Alberta.

Samuel Bernard Lacrampe, Patching Associates Acoustical Engineering Ltd.

Samuel B. Lacrampe, P. Eng. is a Project Engineer for Patching Associates Acoustical Engineering Ltd. in Calgary, Alberta.

Additional Files

Published

2017-08-19

How to Cite

1.
Lambert DC, Lacrampe SB. TRADING DECIBELS: OVERVIEW OF A CAP AND TRADE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR NOISE EMISSIONS. Canadian Acoustics [Internet]. 2017 Aug. 19 [cited 2024 Mar. 29];45(3):122-3. Available from: https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/3161

Issue

Section

Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada