Report says container wall reduces noise at a Moncton scrapyard, meeting provincial standards.
The wall has shipping containers. It sits at American Iron and Metal. People who live nearby complained about noise. The province required the company to install the wall.
The province gave the company approval until 2025. The company needed to check the wall’s effectiveness. HGC Noise Vibration Acoustics did the assessment for AIM. The report says the wall works.
Sound levels meet the province’s rules. The report was given to Radio-Canada.
But, a resident doesn’t think it’s enough. Jean Cormier hears loud noises. It can be morning, afternoon, or all day.
The environment minister is reviewing the report. Gilles LePage said they got it last week. They are checking how they took the measurements.
The report studied sound levels on January 16. It was a cloudy day. They compared it to June before the wall. They checked three spots near the scrapyard.
Industrial operations are not formally regulated for sound. The consultants used noise complaint guidelines. The June test found sound was mostly okay. Loud short noises were sometimes audible.
The guideline uses 60 decibels for daytime noise. The company used that for the impulse noise. June results were 62 to 72 decibels. After the wall, it was 47 to 59.
The report says the wall reduces loud, short noises. They now meet provincial levels. LePage is wondering if the noise level should change. He asks if the threshold is right.
The province will talk to Moncton officials. They will seek long-term solutions for residents. That meeting should happen soon.
American Iron and Metal did not comment. They had said they’d hold an open house with the findings.
