Noise Issues: China Noise Problems and Policy

Noise Pollution Control Plans. (:48)  Xinahua News Agency. VO China is working on new measures to combat noise pollution. The new guidelines focus on addressing noise pollution in areas including industry, construction, traffic and people's daily lives. For example, they ban businesses from using acoustic instruments outdoors. The new rules also say motor vehicles should strictly observe the speed limit. While traffic restrictions and horn-sounding bans around "noise-sensitive buildings" such as hospitals, schools and residential buildings, will be enforced. According to the guidelines, government agencies will also set up a system to examine the sound-proof qualities of civilian buildings. Major cities will establish an auto noise monitoring system and set up at least one noise display screen by the end of 2011. Source: Daily Motion.

Beijing Soundwalk (2:19) Jonathan Smyth. Smyth lives in Beijing, China and has filmed this sound walk down what he calls his favorite quiet street. He notes, "I love to hate the noise pollution that's found on a daily basis in China. The idea is usually, the louder the music coming from your store then the more customers it should attract." 

Playing with the decibel meter – Shanghai (1:36).  A student in taking a Sustainability Conscious class at Tongji University in Shanghai learns about the on-going public display of a decibel meters after his instructor Pius Leuba, informed him that  these meters are scattered around the city.  As the video notes, the readings were generally high and a conversation of about  70Db becomes difficult because of the ambient street noise.