CIEH members give evidence on noise pollution to Lords committee

CIEH has supported expert members to give oral evidence on noise pollution to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee.

The Committee is conducting an inquiry into the effects of artificial light and noise on human health.

CIEH was represented at the oral evidence session by two environmental health professional witnesses from its Environmental Protection Panel: Somayya Yaqub and Paul McCullough. 

Both witnesses took the opportunity to highlight the impact of inadequate resourcing for environmental health.

Somayya emphasised the need to have specialist noise practitioners in local authorities critiquing planning applications and able to defend their comments at inquiries.

Paul suggested that local authorities should look at new technologies and methods to produce quicker resolution of noise issues.

The link between exposure to noise and social deprivation was also discussed.

The oral evidence session can be viewed at Parliamentlive.tv - Science and Technology Committee (Lords).

Ross Matthewman, Head of Policy and Campaigns at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, said:

“We are delighted to have secured the opportunity for our expert members to provide evidence to this important inquiry. 

The oral evidence session has provided two of our members with an excellent platform to promote the work of the profession to a wider audience.

This is a tangible example of our approach to direct member representation and creating environmental health member champions.”