© Alan Stanton

Residents in three north London boroughs have joined forces to fight plans to build the largest waste processing center in the UK. Residents of Barnet, Haringey and Enfield say that they have not been properly consulted about the plant, and they have raised concerns over noise pollution control and health effects.

About 150 residents protested outside of the Town Hall in Barnet as councilors met to discuss wider plans for dealing with waste in north London. The residents say they are determined to stop the plan in its tracks. A spokesman for the council said that the environmental impact of the proposal would be considered by planning officers, and that the proposed facility would consist of a 23 meter high building covering an area the size of two football pitches.

© MikeBlogs

A Pittsburgh City Council task force has implemented a "noise line" to get public interest about aggravating sounds across the city. The residents may call up the noise pollution helpline at 412-223-7620. The concerns related to noise pollution can be emailed to noisetaskforce@gmail.com. The people can also complaint about noise pollution by visiting www.noisetaskforce.pittsburghpa.gov and submit their concerns. Another way to report noise pollution is to write to the task force in care of Councilman Patrick Dowd, 510 City-County Building, 414 Grant St., Pittsburgh 15219.

Mr. Dowd and Councilman Bruce Kraus are co-chairing the task force. They created the task force in January to write updated legislation on noise pollution. The noise line will be accepting public comments for six weeks. Problems of noise pollution requiring immediate assistance should be reported to 911 or 311.

© epSos.de

The German government has altered noise pollution laws to make it more difficult for people to file complaints about noisy children playing in residential areas. The debate had reached a fever pitch, so the cabinet decided to shut it down by backing a measure that would restrict noise complaints near day care centers and playgrounds. They felt there was a clear need to set a precedent with the decision that Germany is a "child-friendly society".

As the debate escalated in the preceding weeks, a conservative senior citizens group was widely criticised after one of its leading members said publicly that the noise from playgrounds and nurseries was like the "hammering of a pneumatic drill". That statement certainly didn't help their case in the eyes of lawmakers. But the new regulation is not without limits for the kids, as it specifies that the noise levels should not be damaging to the surrounding environment. Still,that language seems open to a lot of interpretation.