New noise monitoring tool for Brussels

Anyone living in Brussels worried that they are suffering too much from noise pollution can now consult a new website measuring noise levels in the capital.

Managed by Brussels Environment, noisemonitoring.brussels – which replaces the Webnoise website – allows real-time monitoring of noise levels recorded by a network of 22 stations throughout the region.

These stations continuously measure ambient noise and specific noise pollution from air, rail and road traffic 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The results are available to the general public in the form of clear graphs and analyses, which can be viewed instantly or downloaded.

Every resident can see the noise levels station by station and according to different periods (day, week, month, year), access the data and consult interactive and downloadable graphs to track noise trends.

With this information, they are able to understand aircraft noise better, with details on the site directly related to regional regulations in this area.

At the launch, Brussels environment minister Maron said: “Noise is not inevitable. With noisemonitoring.brussels, we are giving every Brussels resident the opportunity to see and understand their environment for sounds.

"It is also an indispensable tool for taking fair and effective action to protect everyone’s health and well-being."

Stijn van Houtven, on behalf of 12 Brussels neighbourhood committees including Comité Kanal District, Respect Kureghem and Riverains de la Foire du Midi, welcomed the initiative at least as a start, he said that it missed the point.

“Not a single measuring station is located in the densely populated and vulnerable Cureghem commune, the Brabant district or the Pentagon,” he said. Indeed, there are no meters at all in Anderlecht and only one in Molenbeek.

“Noise pollution has a greater impact in densely populated neighbourhoods where people live small, with single glazing, with no escape,” he said.

Van Houtven also said that while aircraft noise is important, more consideration should be given to other noise such as accelerating engines, or loud events such as the Foire du Midi – where local residents have demanded proper monitoring of noise levels for years.

With that in mind, van Houtven urges Maron and Brussels Environment to “prioritise the neighbourhoods with the greatest needs and restore the quality of life around the canal, stations and city centre”.