Noise Pollution in Portugal

INTRODUCTION

Noise Pollution is one of the forms of pollution that affects citizens in an immediate way. This fact leads to a massive number of complaints from citizens before the administrative authorities and courts. Considering this, the number of court decisions concerning the environment was, until very recently, almost only related to Noise Pollution conflicts. In fact, one of the problems related to Noise Pollution in Portugal is the prolification of competent authorities that are able to receive this sort of complaints from affected citizens, which prolification contributes to a general clime of impunity for the transgressor entities. For example: (a) when the Noise Pollution comes from the activity of a commercial or hotel entity or from amplifiers or any sound equipment that projects sounds to the public air, the competent authority will be the local or national police department; (b) when Noise Pollution comes from automobiles or motorbikes, the competent authority is