Ontario

MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Noise Guidelines for Landfill Sites

October 1998

This Publication establishes sound level limits for landfill site operations and specifies information that needs to be
submitted for noise impact assessment and approval.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. SCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 1 -

2. REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 1 -

3. TECHNICAL DEFINITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 2 -

4. MEASUREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 2 -

5. SOUND LEVEL LIMITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 3 -

(1) Landfilling Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 3 -
(2) Ancillary Facilities - Stationary Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 3 -

6. OFF-SITE VEHICLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - 3 -

7. REQUIRED INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -4-

(1) Site Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -4-
(2) Operation, Equipment and Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -4-
(3) Existing Noise Environment and Meteorological Conditions . . . . . . -4-
(4) Noise Impact Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -5-
(5) Mitigation Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -6-
(6) Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -6-

1. SCOPE

This Publication establishes sound level limits for landfill operations affecting residential or other noise-sensitive
areas. Three components of landfill site operations are addressed in this guideline:
& landfilling operations (including site construction and rehabilitation);
& ancillary facilities for reception, storage and processing; and
& off-site vehicles.

2. REFERENCES

[1] NPC-101 - Technical Definitions

[2] NPC-102 - Instrumentation for Measurement of Sound

[3] NPC-103 - Procedures

[4] NPC-104 - Sound Level Adjustments

[5] NPC-205 - Sound Level Limits for Stationary Sources in Class 1 & 2 Areas (Urban)

[6] NPC-206 - Sound Levels due to Road Traffic

[7] NPC-232 - Sound Level Limits for Stationary Sources in Class 3 Areas (Rural)
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MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT

[8] NPC-233 - Information to be Submitted for Approval of Stationary Sources of Sound

[9] ORNAMENT, Ontario Road Noise Analysis Method for Environment and Transportation, Technical
Document, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, ISBN 0-7729-6376 (1989).

[10] NPC-115 - Construction Equipment

[11] NPC-118 - Motorized Conveyances

References [1], [2], [3], [4], [10] and [11] can be found in the Model Municipal Noise Control By-Law, Ontario
Ministry of the Environment, Final Report, August 1978.

3. TECHNICAL DEFINITIONS

"Ambient sound level"

means Background sound level;

"Background sound level"

is the sound level that is present in the environment, produced by noise sources other than the source
under impact assessment. Highly intrusive short duration noise caused by sources such as an aircraft
fly-over or a train pass-by is excluded from the determination of the background sound level;

"Construction Equipment"
means any equipment or device designed and intended for use in construction, or material handling
including but not limited to, air compressors, pile drivers, pneumatic or hydraulic tools, bulldozers,
tractors, excavators, trenchers, cranes, derricks, loaders, scrapers, pavers, generators, off-highway
haulers or trucks, ditchers, compactors and rollers, pumps, concrete mixers, graders, or other material
handling equipment;

"Conveyance"
includes a vehicle and any other device employed to transport a person or persons or goods from place
to place but does not include any such device or vehicle if operated only within the premises of a person;

"Point of Reception"
means a point on the premises of a person within 30 m of a dwelling or a camping area, where sound
or vibration originating from other than those premises is received.

For the purpose of noise impact assessment of a proposed landfill operation, or an expansion to an
existing landfill operation, the point of reception may be located on any of the following existing or zoned
for future use premises: permanent or seasonal residences, hotels/motels, nursing/retirement homes,
rental residences, hospitals, camp grounds, and noise sensitive buildings such as schools and places
of worship.

Other technical terms used in this publication are defined in Reference [1].

4. MEASUREMENTS

For the purpose of this Publication, all measurements shall be made in accordance with References [2], [3] and
[4].

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MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT
5. SOUND LEVEL LIMITS

(1) Landfilling Operations

(a) Construction and Rehabilitation

The sound levels generated by construction activities such as grading, construction of internal and
external roads, construction of earth berms and tree removal, as well as those due to rehabilitation
activities such as removal of berms, demolition of buildings and landscaping are subject to the limits set
out in References [10] and [11].

(b) Landfilling Operations

The limits for sound levels due to the landfill site operation at a point of reception are 45 dBA in any
hour of the night, 19:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m., and 55 dBA in any hour of the day, 7:00 a.m. - 19:00 p.m.
These levels are expressed in terms of the One Hour Equivalent Sound Level (Leq).

The above limits are applicable under the condition that the operation of the landfill site involves only
"construction equipment" or "conveyances", as defined in Section 3. In that case, the landfill site is not
considered a stationary noise source and is not governed by the limitations set out in References [5] or
[7].

Should the environment be dominated by noise sources of man-made activity, such as industry,
commerce or road transportation, which produce sound in excess of the above limits, the higher sound
levels may be used as the limit, provided that the noise sources are not under consideration for noise
abatement by the Municipality or the Ministry of the Environment.

(c) Pest Control Devices

For impulsive sound from a pest control device employed in the operation of the landfill site, the sound
level limit at a point of reception expressed in terms of the Logarithmic Mean Impulse Sound Level (LLM)
is 70 dBAI.

For quasi-steady impulsive sound, not including other impulsive sound, from a pest control device
employed in the operation of the landfill site, the sound level limit at a point of reception expressed in
terms of the One Hour Equivalent Sound Level (Leq) is 60 dBA.

(2) Ancillary Facilities - Stationary Sources

Equipment and facilities utilized on the landfill site that do not fall under the definition of construction
equipment or conveyance, such as facilities for reception, storage and processing, are considered
stationary noise sources. The applicable sound level limits are those established for the assessment of
stationary sources of sound given in References [5] and [7].

6. OFF-SITE VEHICLES

An access route for off-site vehicles shall be selected which will result in a minimum noise impact. The selection
process shall be based on a detailed quantitative assessment of noise impact on individual receptors and the
number of affected receptors along the alternative routes. The municipality and the affected residents must be
clearly informed of any potential noise impact.

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MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT
7. REQUIRED INFORMATION

Noise impact studies are required to support applications for new landfill sites or for expansion of existing landfill
sites. Noise impact studies should be prepared by an acoustical consultant who is a Professional Engineer with
experience in environmental acoustics. The following represents the information required for the assessment of
noise impact due to the operation of landfill sites:

(1) Site Plans

(a) Land Use Zoning

An up-to-date land use zoning designation plan available from the local municipality complete with
legend and scale, of the area surrounding the proposed/existing landfill site within a 1000 metre radius.

(b) Area Wide Plan

A scaled plan indicating the landfill site and its neighbourhood, including property boundaries, access
roads as well as location and elevation of adjacent building and structures within a minimum distance
of approximately 1000 metres from the landfill site boundaries. The location of nearest point(s) of
reception should be clearly identified in the plan.

(c) Existing Features Plan

A plan, usually an aerial photograph, showing the landfill site and its immediate neighbourhood within
a minimum distance of approximately 300 metres from the landfill site boundaries, indicating existing
buildings and properties.

(d) Operations Plan

A detailed plan of the landfill site area including the location of the waste disposal cells, direction and
schedule of filling the cells, location of the facilities for reception, storage, processing, incineration,
transfer stations and access routes for off-site vehicles. Cross-sectional views are also required.

(2) Operation, Equipment and Facilities

A detailed description of the landfilling equipment consisting of construction equipment and conveyances
used on the landfill site including relevant equipment specification and sound emission levels.

A detailed description of the facilities for reception, storage and processing (stationary sources) including
relevant equipment specifications and sound emission levels.

A detailed description of any pest control devices that produce audible warning signals.

A detailed description of the type, number, frequency and sound emission levels of off-site vehicles
utilizing the landfill site.

(3) Existing Noise Environment and Meteorological Conditions

A description of the existing noise environment at the points of reception, identifying all significant
existing and proposed sound sources contributing to the ambient noise, including their location and
characteristics. Details of prevailing meteorological conditions at the landfill site, including wind direction
and speed in m/s. Details of the prevailing wind conditions should be provided in the form of the Rose
of Wind graphs representing monthly averages obtained from the local weather station.

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MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT
(4) Noise Impact Assessment

(a) Background Sound Level

Results of the assessment of the background sound levels in terms of the One Hour Equivalent Sound
Level (Leq) at the points of reception should be provided. In case of a measurement survey, description
of measurement instrumentation, procedures and measurement conditions should also be provided.

(b) Landfilling Operations

Results of sound level measurement or prediction in terms of the One Hour Equivalent Sound Level (Leq)
at the points of reception should be provided. In case of a measurement survey, description of
measurement instrumentation, procedures and measurement conditions should also be provided.

(c) Pest Control Devices

Results of sound level measurement or prediction in terms of the Logarithmic Mean Impulse Sound
Level (LMI) for impulsive sound or the One Hour Equivalent Sound Level (Leq) for quasi-steady impulsive
sound at the points of reception should be provided. In case of a measurement survey, description of
measurement instrumentation, procedures and measurement conditions should also be provided.

(d) Ancillary Facilities - Stationary Sources

Results of sound level measurement or prediction in terms of the One Hour Equivalent Sound Level (Leq)
at the points of reception. In case of a measurement survey, description of measurement
instrumentation, procedures and measurement conditions should be provided. Details of the information
requirements are included in Section 8 of Reference [8].

(e) Off-Site Vehicles

The noise impact of the off-site vehicles should be assessed in terms of the One Hour Equivalent Sound
Level (Leq) at the points of reception and results provided. The noise impact of alternative routes should
be compared. The effect of the off-site vehicles on the existing noise environment should described
qualitatively and quantitatively, as shown in the following table:

SOUND LEVEL INCREASE (dB) QUALITATIVE RATING

1 to 3 inclusive Insignificant

3 to 5 inclusive Noticeable

5 to 10 inclusive Significant

10 and over Very significant

(f) Construction and Rehabilitation

It is required that a commitment to the MOE noise criteria in References [10] and [11] be made.

(5) Mitigation Measures

Where mitigation measures are proposed in the form of barriers or earth berms, all details of the
location, elevations, dimensions, structural design and materials must be provided. If alternative

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MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT
measures are proposed, a full description of the alternatives, including administrative and operational
procedures, must be provided.

(6) Documentation

Information should be presented in a concise, itemized form with appropriate headings. The report
should be consistent with the requirements of Section 8 of Reference [8]. The report should include the
following sections in the given sequence:

Introduction (Background Information)

such as description of the site, acoustic environment, sound sources, etc;
Impact Assessment
including applicable criteria, and results of pre- and post-abatement assessment at the
critical points of reception;
Mitigation Measures
description and assessment of acoustic performance;
Conclusions and Recommendations
summary of impacts, verification of compliance with limits and control measures;
Appendices, etc.
details of measurements and calculations, specifications, site plans, etc.

October 7, 1998

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