• Activities that can generate dust include soil stripping, stockpiling, disposal of wastes, processing operations, loading and unloading, haulage, and site restorations.

• Dust can be a major issue for local communities. Living with dust fallout in surrounding areas can be a source of annoyance for local people and concerns regarding the health impacts of dust may be difficult to dismiss irrespective of the likely risk. Local communities can potentially be affected by dust up to 1 km from the source.

Larger particles are associated with public nuisance, being particularly noticeable on clean surfaces such as cars, windows and window ledges, or surfaces that are usually expected to remain free of dust.

• Deposition may impact dust-sensitive locations such as schools, retirement homes, hi-tech industries and hospitals and deter the use of amenity areas by local residents.

Complaints may increase when dust has a contrasting colour that is more noticeable on deposition or when deposition of dust is frequent, heavy or occurs over a large area.

3 . N o is e• Questions:

I have 10 or more employees on-site at the clinic 7 days a week. Noise can seriously affect people in noise-sensitive locations and interfere with their ability to relax, sleep, or communicate, causing stress and annoyance, with consequences for psychological well-being.

What are the number of machines, type, size and noise levels these machines will produce? How far will the noise travel? What are the allowable decibels at this site; is it measured and from where? What measures will be put into place to limit noise pollution? Will the number and size of machines be limited?

• What are considered “acceptable” noise levels?

• The phrase "acceptable levels" can be quite a controversial term, in that what is deemed acceptable to one person may not be acceptable to another. In this context, "acceptable levels" is used in reference to widely recognized standards, guidelines or established practice.

• When in close proximity to residential areas and businesses, it can in reality be considered an adverse disturbance.

Noise and vibration sensitive locations include residential dwellings, gardens, places of worship, educational establishments, hospitals or similar institutions, and livestock farms. In addition to human impacts, noise and vibration may also disturb wildlife. This may be particularly important for endangered or rare species during the mating and nesting season.

P o t e n t ia l S o u r c e s o f N o is e In c lu d e . . .

Location

Preparatory work

Soil stripping

Transportation

Audible reversing warning devices

Location

• We must consider nearby local businesses and private residences when considering a suitable location for such an operation.

• Preparatory work

• Soil workings produce complex noise fields which vary over time. This will normally entail the provision of a road access, site offices and compound, and usually some mineral processing facilities (although mobile processing plant is increasingly being used, which has a number of significant noise advantages).

• The formation and removal of baffle mounds is often the noisiest operation on a site, but the mounds will generally provide a reduction of 5-10dB(A) in noise levels generated by the site. A 10dB(A) reduction is the equivalent of halving the loudness of the site noise.

P o t e n t ia l S o u r c e s o f N o is e

Soil Stripping

• The next activity is the exposure of the mineral for extraction. This will involve the removal of soils and any overburden which may be present. The use of hydraulic excavators and dump trucks in this removal process is now preferred to scrapers. Nevertheless, by definition the activity takes place on the surface at original ground level, and so often p r o d u c e s h ig h n o is e le v e ls .

P o t e n t ia l S o u r c e s o f N o is e ( c o n t in u e d . . . )

In most cases, advantage is taken of the removal of the soils to construct soil storage banks, called baffle mounds, that are generally located on the boundary of the site in order to provide visual and acoustic screening. As the construction begins takes place on the boundary of the site, the noise levels generated by the formation and removal are expected to be excessively high.

Typically, large diesel-engine machines are used, such as field conveyers, excavators or loaders and dump trucks. A substantial amount of noise is produced when depositing the materials into the trucks for transport.

Transportation

• Audible reversing warning devices

P o t e n t ia l S o u r c e s o f N o is e

Finally, the material will be ready to be transported off site. This will usually be carried out by heavy goods vehicles.

One specific item of equipment that can cause complaints is vehicle reversing alarms. These are provided for safety reasons for the workforce, and need to generate a certain level of noise to achieve this. The squealing of caterpillar tracks can also have a distinctive sound, even at a distance. They are a particular problem on the higher ground which allows sound to travel further.

4 . P u b l ic S a f e t y &

H e a l t h H a z a r d s

• I understand that sawdust will be used. Soil and wood tend to carry fungal spores, such as Blastomyces and Actinomyces, which are present in parts of our region and have been known to cause deadly Blastomycosis and Actinomycosis in people and pets alike. This presents a grave problem that is all too real. I have had several cases of Blastomycosis in dogs in my hospital and it was, in fact, the cause of death of our former dog catcher, Bill Gentle.

Where is the material coming from? Is it certified safe? Have you investigated the health concerns for people and animals?

Hidden intersections, blind corners, winding roads and hills in the area pose a serious risk as is, without the added traffic from heavy vehicles.