Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad in a Saturday statement said that noise pollution poses a significant problem, and that noise monitoring devices show that Cairo is the most noise-polluted city in Egypt due to its high population density.

She explained that her ministry is preparing a database and map of the noise levels across Egypt, to help with establishing new facilities and major national projects such as highways, bridges, hospitals, schools and residential areas.

Devising the database and the map comes within the framework of Egypt’s “Vision 2030” sustainable development strategy, she said. Fouad explained that the map will be useful in implementing the plan to combat noise and in urban planning for new structures, and to reduce noise rates in existing areas.

The selection of monitoring sites is carried out according to international standards, she said.

The national network monitoring environmental noise has been established since March 2007 until now, Fouad explained. It consists of 30 stations for monitoring noise within Cairo, Giza, and Qalyubiya, in addition to a monitoring station on the Suez Canal in Ismailia.

She added that on Saturday the ministry finalized the installation of a noise monitoring station in Damanhour in Beheira governorate, as part of the ministry’s plan to develop the noise monitoring network.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Cairo is Egypt’s most noise polluted city: Environment Minister