Noise Pollution

Noise is undesirable disturbing sound which is experienced individually. Noise can be harmful to one’s well-being and health, as it can reduce the amenity of living environments and harm the hearing when individual is exposed to it long term.

Lots of noise in the city

Many different sounds belong in urban environments, and temporary noise pollution is often common. Sometimes excessive environmental noise can become a problem and reduce the quality of the living environment. City zoning aims to impact environmental noise by executing noise surveys before housing and other operations are built in an area. The aim is to locate noise-causing operations so that the noise pollution caused by them is as low as possible.

Temporary noise is caused by for example construction, recreational activities, outdoor concerts and fireworks. In some cases, the instigator of temporary noise must report particularly disturbing noise.

Noise Notification

I'm bothered by noise, what should I do?

A city is filled with many different sources of noise, and some of the sounds are part of normal city life. Sometimes noise can be disturbing. In such cases you should primarily contact the instigator of the noise.

If there is disturbing noise coming from a neighbor you should contact the neighbor and discuss about noise with them. In a housing company, you can also contact the housing board or the property manager.

If a construction site is noisy, please contact the site supervisor first and, if needed, contact the Environmental Protection Unit through a feedback service.

Sometimes work has to be done at night. For example snow ploughing and many road maintenance works take place at night. Night work is often short-term and only executed due a justified reason. Neighborhoods will be informed of temporary nightly noise.

Traffic may cause noise both for home yards and indoor facilities. Noise abatement on busy roads, such as highway 4, is a responsibility of the Regional Northern Ostrobothnian Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. If you have traffic noise related matters, you can contact the ELY Centre's traffic customer service. On matters related to streets and roads of the City of Oulu, you can give feedback in the City of Oulu feedback service.

Feedback on noise nuisance stemming from operations subject to environmental permits is responded by a supervisory official, who can for example be the municipality's environmental officer or the ELY Centre.