Ghana - Complaint about Noise Nuisance

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Procedure

Apply In-Person:

1. To Complaint about Noise Nuisance in person, the applicant has to approach the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) office Contact link
2. The written application form should be filled all the details while submitted to the office.
3. The applicant has to make sure he or she has all the required documents that are required for this process to be successful and they can be found under the "Required Documents" section of this page.
4. Applicant should attach photocopies of documents (whichever is necessary) along with the applicant form while submitting it at the office.
5. Payment of appropriate fees should be made and that can be found under the "Fees" section of this page.
6. How applicant report a noise complaint depends on where the noise is coming from.
7. If the applicant is not sure who to complain about noise to, call EPA’s 24-hour pollution hotline on 1300 372 842.
8. As given below, the applicant should give the complaint with proper evidence.
9. If applicant’s complaint is correct, the EPA office will investigate his/her complaint and takes appropriate action.
10. This process will take place within the next 24 hours after seeing the applicant’s complaint.

Ways to report noise pollution

Report residential noise and noisy neighbours :

1. It's an offence to make unreasonable noise from a residence. There are rules about restricted times for noise in residential areas.
2. If the applicant’s annoyed by a noisy neighbour, try to talk to them first. They may not be aware there’s a problem.
3. Find tips on dealing with residential noise in Annoyed by noise? (Publication 406).
4. Applicant can report residential noise to his/her local council.
5. Applicants can also report residential noise like late night parties to the police.
6. Contact the police at any time if applicant fined his/her noisy neighbour threatening.
7. If applicant’s property has an owners' corporation, it must have a complaints process. The Owners Corporations Act 2016 requires this. It can help applicants communicate with their neighbour to resolve the problem. Consumer Affairs Victoria has information on complaint handling in his/her owners' corporation.
8. The Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria can also help the applicant resolve residential noise problems. They aim to help people settle their disputes in a cooperative and lasting way. The process relies on the parties involved discussing the problem in the presence of a mediator. Services are free and confidential.

Report noisy vehicles, trains and trams:

1. Report cars and vehicles driving with noisy exhausts to the police.
2. Report road traffic noise to the Department of Transport, applicant’s local council or the companies that manage the road.
3. There are times when the Regulations don’t allow unreasonable noise from vehicles on private property. Applicant can report this to his/her local council.
4. Report noise from public transport services to the companies that manage them. Only contact the Public Transport Ombudsman Victoria after applicant has given public transport companies the chance to respond to the applicant’s concern.
5. Report noisy exhaust from large trucks and buses over 4.5 tonnes to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.
6. Report noise from train and tram maintenance to EPA’s 24-hour pollution hotline on 1300 372 842.

Report commercial or industrial noise:

1. Commercial and industrial noise can come from: offices, shops, factories, mines and quarries, farms.
2. To report noise from a commercial, industrial and trade premises, call EPA’s 24-hour pollution hotline on 1300 372 842.

Report residential construction noise:

1. Residential construction noise, including from construction, demolition or removal, is managed through the Environment Protection Act 2017. The Environment Protection Regulations 2021 have specific unreasonable noise provisions that apply to the repair or maintenance of an existing residence.
2. EPA has given local councils powers to manage this type of noise. Some council may use other powers like local laws.
3. To report noise from residential construction sites, contact applicant’s local council.

Report construction noise:

1. Depending on what is being constructed, there are different working hours and requirements for managing construction noise.
2. Applicant can report noise pollution from a construction site. For example, noise that:
   • starts early in the morning
   • comes from a loud radio
   • goes on for a long time
   • Comes from vehicles at the site.
3. If construction noise is disturbing the applicant, contact EPA’s 24-hour pollution hotline on 1300 372 842.

Report major infrastructure noise:

1. EPA does not directly regulate noise from major infrastructure projects. Construction noise requirements are usually part of a project’s approval conditions.
2. The infrastructure project builder will have contractual obligations to manage noise and vibration.
3. Report noise from major infrastructure projects on 1800 105 105 (24 hours/7 days).
4. Find out more about Victoria’s major road and rail projects.

Report Road works noise:

1. Noises from major road projects, including road upgrades, are managed by Major Road Projects Victoria.
2. Report noise from major road projects on 1800 105 105 (24 hours/7 days).
3. Report noise from routine road repair and maintenance to Vic Roads, as part of Department of Transport, the applicant’s local council, or the companies that manage the road.
4. If the applicant isn’t sure who manages the road, see Victoria’s road network.

Report music noise from indoor entertainment Venus:

1. Music noise can come from indoor entertainment venues including:
   • Hotels
   • Restaurants
   • Nightclubs
   • live music venues
   • health and fitness centres
2. Report music noise from indoor venues to applicant’s local council or the police.  Police can direct venues to immediately stop noise after midnight.
3. Applicant may wish to speak to the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation in relation to noise related complaints from licensed premises.
4. Applicant can also speak with EPA’s 24-hour pollution hotline on 1300 372 842.

Report music noise from indoor entertainment Venus:

1. Applicant can report music noise from public places playing music or making noise outside or into the open air. Outdoor entertainment venues include:
   • outdoor sports and recreation facilities
   • private land used for open-air events like music festivals and concerts
   • Temporary structures like marquees or sound stages on public land
2. Music noise includes music and other sounds like:
   • live or recorded music
   • voices, like crowd noise or announcements
   • Amplified sounds and sound effects that happen with music
3. Report music noise from large outdoor entertainment venues to EPA’s 24-hour pollution hotline on 1300 372 842.
4. Report noise from community events on public land to applicant local council.

Report wind energy facilities noise:

1. The applicant can report concerns about wind energy facility noise emissions to the wind energy facility operator. The operator will respond according to their complaints management procedures. If unresolved, report concerns about noise pollution to EPA’s 24-hour pollution hotline on 1300 372 842.

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Required Documents

• Complaint letter
• Proof of the noise nuisance (video and videos or others)

Office Locations & Contacts

Environmental protection agency (EPA)
Address: HR22+H42, Accra, Ghana
Postal address: P.O .Box M.326 Accra, Ghana
Email id: [email protected]
Phone number: 0302 664697-8/ 0302 662690
Location link
Contact link

Eligibility

• All Ghanaian citizens are eligible.
• Applicant must be submitted a proof of noise nuisance.

Fees

• Free of charge for this procedure.

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

Please attach documents that can be used by people. e.g. links

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

Processing Time

• The processing time for this procedure is 1 day.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications.
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&> 
from external websites.
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, 
myspace, revver,
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video 
is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 
'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

Instructions

• In Ghana permissible ambient noise as set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for residential areas requires that, during the day noise levels should not be above 55 decibels during the day and 48 at night (EPA, 2008).

Required Information

Pollution report

• Pollutions’ type
• First name of the applicant
• Last name of the applicant
• Contact number of the applicant
• Address of the applicant
• Email id of the applicant
• Describe the pollution
• Where is the applicant experiencing this pollution?
• How is the pollution impacting the applicant?
• Where does the applicant believe the pollution is coming from?
• What was the date the applicant experienced this pollution?
• What time did the applicant experience this pollution?
• Have the applicant experienced this before?
• Please describe the scale of pollution by stating a number between 1 & 10, with 10 being the worst
• If applicant can determine the wind direction, please state the direction. If applicant is unable to, please say unknown.
• Is this an on- going issue?
• Is this issue still occurring?
• If this respective officers need to contact applicant for further information, are he/she willing to assist?
• Would the applicant like to be notified of the outcome of his/her report?
• Do applicants consent for his/her details to be passed onto other government agencies if required?
• Do applicants have any images or video relating to this report?

Need for the Document

• Noise pollution caused by noise and hazards to people can be avoided by filing this complaint. This complaint will greatly help to avoid noise nuisance if humans, animals, birds are not to be affected and the environment is not polluted by this noise.

Information which might help

• EPA or a designated Federal agency regulates noise sources, such as rail and motor carriers, low noise emission products, construction equipment, transport equipment, trucks, motorcycles, and the labelling of hearing protection devices

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

Place some external links which might help.

Others

More information which might help people.