Topic Noise

Peace and quiet is important to our quality of life. It enables people to relax, sleep well, concentrate, and to hear each other. Noise, meanwhile, is intrusive, and causes illness. One in ten people in Switzerland is exposed to loud road traffic noise where they live, with those in towns and agglomerations the most affected. The effects of noise on health and the human need for quiet must be taken seriously and factored more closely into urban development, in particular.

Noise is all around us and affects body and mind. Whether from traffic, construction sites or industry – persistent noise pollution has a negative impact on health and well-being, reduces the appeal of the surrounding area and noticeably worsens quality of life. It also generates costs that fall not on the polluters, but on society as a whole.

Road traffic noise affects a large number of people in Switzerland, especially in cities and conurbations. Despite improvements in protective measures, road noise remains a challenge to health and quality of life and generates external costs of around CHF 2 billion a year.

In Switzerland, around 33'000 people are affected by railway noise exceeding the limit values, especially at night. To date, a comprehensive federal improvement programme has protected around 200,000 affected people. The programme includes installing noise barriers, converting rolling stock and prohibiting use of particularly loud freight wagons on the Swiss rail network.

In Switzerland, around 80'000 people are affected by aircraft noise exceeding the limit values - mostly near major airports and military airfields. Because aircraft noise spreads from above to cover a large area, measures can only be applied to the aircraft itself or to airport operations.

Noise from industrial and commercial facilities is caused by production processes, machinery and vehicles. This noise can significantly disturb the neighbourhood.

Almost 8,000 people are affected by civil or military shooting noise that exceeds the limit values. While most civil shooting ranges have already been improved to reduce noise, the improvement process for military installations is due to be completed by 2025.

Many construction sites in Switzerland are located in densely populated areas. Construction work may be short-lived or may last for years. To protect neighbouring residents, building owners and contractors must ensure that noise-reducing measures are taken. The Federal Office for the Environment’s (FOEN) construction noise regulation shows how this works in practice.

Equipment and machinery that are used for maintenance of public green spaces, in private gardens or on construction sites can cause intense noise and disruption. In the Machine Noise Ordinance (MaNO), the federal government has set emission limit values and stipulated that equipment and machinery must be labelled with their maximum noise level.

Cars are whizzing past on the street, someone is hammering away on the building site next door, a drone is buzzing overhead – our world is full of noise. In the midst of this noise, our longing for quietness is growing. Tranquillity has long been more than just a luxury: it is an essential factor in good health and quality of life. For this reason, the Federal Office for the Environment is committed to better protecting and promoting quiet areas inside and outside urban areas.