Contents

• 1 Background
  • 1.1 What is IPPC?
  • 1.2 Who should use this guidance?
  • 1.3 How you should use this guidance
  • 1.4 What standards of noise control are expected?
• 2 Management of noise
  • 2.1 General aspects of noise management
  • 2.2 Noise management in intensive livestock installations
• 3 Writing a noise management plan
  • 3.1 How to write a noise management plan
  • 3.2 Noise management plan example and template
• 4 Full noise impact assessment
  • 4.1 Overview
  • 4.2 Measuring emissions
  • 4.3 Predicting emissions
  • 4.4 Interpretation of noise–level difference
  • 4.5 Noise impact assessment reporting
• References

Background - What is IPPC?

In Scotland IPPC operates under the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2000. In Northern Ireland, IPPC operates under the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 (Reference 1). These Regulations were made under the Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) Act 1999, and implement the EC Directive 96/61 on IPPC. The Regulatory Regime applies to many industrial sectors, including the intensive farming of pigs and poultry. The threshold for such farms to be regulated under IPPC is:

• 40,000 places for poultry; or
• 2,000 places for production pigs (over 30kg); or
• 750 places for sows.

Regulation is achieved through the issue of a permit from the Environment Agency in England and Wales, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) in Scotland and the Environment and Heritage Service (NIEHS) in Northern Ireland. A permit covers all aspects of the operation of the farm as defined by the installation boundary. To gain a permit, Operators have to show that they have systematically developed proposals to apply the ‘Best Available Techniques’ (BAT) and meet other requirements for environmental protection, taking account of relevant local factors.

The Agency, SEPA and NIEHS (referred to as the Agencies) have developed a simplified permitting approach for the farming sector, through the development of Standard Farming Installation Rules, the Scottish Standard Farming Installation Rules and the Standard Farming Installation Rules and Guidance (NI) respectively (Reference 2). These rules define BAT for the farming sector. Aspects of noise management are integrated throughout the Standard Farming Installation Rules, but in some cases site-specific measures will be needed, and these must be identified in a Noise Management Plan.

The Regulations do NOT relate to occupational exposure to noise – only to noise as an environmental pollutant, i.e. beyond the installation boundary.

1.2 Who should use this guidance?

This guidance is specifically targeted at the pig and poultry sector, and includes many of the principles applied to all sectors regulated under IPPC referred to in Horizontal Guidance for noise (H3, Reference 3). The Agencies will refer to this Horizontal Guidance in determining conditions for noise at pig and poultry installations.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you should use this guidance if:

• You answered ‘yes’ to question B2.9 on the application form, i.e. sensitive receptors are located within 400m of the installation; and/or

• The installation has a history of substantiated noise-related complaints within the last 3 years; and/or

• You are in the process of planning for a new installation, or extending an existing one – this guidance will provide information on best practice and impact assessment requirements.

1.3 How you should use this guidance

You should use this guidance in conjunction with the Standard Farming Installation Rules.

Section 2 provides guidance on the sources of noise, and some of the measures to minimise emissions.

Section 3 provides guidance on writing a noise management plan. This section should be used if you have sensitive receptors within 400m of the installation and/or the installation has a history of noise related complaints. You will need to consider some of the measures in section 2 in your noise management plan. In Scotland this section should be used for all applications.

Section 4 provides guidance on carrying out a noise impact assessment. This section should be used if you are in the process of planning for a new installation, or extending a new one and may be needed if you are applying for a permit for an existing installation. A noise impact assessment will often be required as part of the process of applying for planning permission. You may need to consult a noise specialist to complete the assessment, and should ask them to cover the points in this guidance.

1.4 What standards of noise control are expected?

1.4.1 What standard of control are we aiming for?
In the case of noise, pollution is considered in terms of causing environmental harm or offence to the sense of hearing, i.e. causing annoyance to people who live in the area or are there for some other reason, through exposure to noise.

The point at which ‘pollution’ in the form of offence to the sense of hearing is occurring, is taken to be the point at which there is ‘reasonable cause for annoyance’.

The aim of the legislation is to achieve ‘no reasonable cause for annoyance’ to persons beyond the boundary of the installation, i.e. sensitive receptors, as far as is possible using BAT. For many installations environmental noise will not be an issue but for others it will need to be considered and controlled.

Note: The PPC Regulations also treat vibration as a pollutant, but if there is a vibration problem specialist advice should be sought and discussions held with the Agency Officer.

1.4.2 Who are sensitive receptors?
Sensitive receptors are primarily people in dwellings, hospitals, schools and similar premises, but can include people frequenting open spaces, for example, parkland. The person in control of the installation would not normally be considered to be a sensitive receptor. Persons who live in close proximity in tied housing may be sensitive receptors (consider the families of the farm workers). If such properties are rented to people who do not work on the installation, the tenants are likely to be sensitive receptors, even if they rent with the knowledge that there is a noise source nearby.

Sometimes habitats, such as Special Protection Areas, may be considered as sensitive receptors, in which case detailed advice should be sought from the Agency Officer.

In any particular situation however, the interpretation of the courts will be the decisive factor.

1.4.3 What is “no reasonable cause for annoyance”?
The amount of annoyance should not be assessed only by means of the number of complaints. Often, in rural areas few people are exposed to noise from intensive installations, but they are entitled to the same reasonable expectations of a satisfactory environmental noise climate as those living in a more populated area.

The legislation requires that the amount of time and money that you spend on taking measures to reduce noise should be in proportion to the annoyance caused or potential to cause annoyance. Good practice should be adhered to at all times by all installations, but if a large number of complaints are received, or the installation is close to a built up area then you may have to expend more effort to reduce noise. BAT covers management techniques (i.e. Best Practice), site design and layout as well as specific noise control measures such as barriers and silencers to control noise.

It should be remembered that it is not only the level of noise that can cause annoyance, but sometimes the source itself or the time of day or night, as illustrated in the examples below

• feed deliveries;
• animal noises such as pigs squealing;
• the time the noise occurs (noise is often more annoying at night or during leisure times);
• clattering or banging;
• tonal noise, with distinctive notes, hums or whines from vacuum pumps, fans, motors etc.;
• noise that is perceived as unnecessary.

Further Information