Debated in Parliament on 6 Nov 2025.
Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what has been the trend of residential noise complaints over the past three years; and (b) how do the World Health Organization’s recommended outdoor noise exposure limits compare with Singapore's, particularly the 75 dBA limit for residences near construction sites and the 70 dBA limit for factory premises from 7 am to 7 pm.
Over the past three years, the volume of residential feedback received by the National Environment Agency (NEA) on construction noise has decreased from around 1,040 per month on average in 2022 to around 930 per month in 2024. Feedback received by NEA on factory noise has remained stable at around 30 per month from 2022 to 2024.
In setting the noise limits on construction and factory noise under the Environmental Protection and Management Act and its Regulations, NEA references the World Health Organization's guidelines to safeguard public health while taking into consideration our local context. NEA takes strict enforcement action against parties found to have exceeded these noise limits.
NEA continues to work with agencies and industry stakeholders to review the approach on noise management, including exploring ways to reduce the noise impact from construction sites and factory premises.
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