To ERO: Re Acoustic…

To ERO: Re Acoustic Report August 2020 633 Coronation Drive Organics Processing Center and Anaerobic Digester

Noise is a big issue and concern for our peaceful community. Plant operations will be ongoing night and day. The previous secondary noise screening document submitted by the proponent, identified 10 sources of noise from operations of the plant e.g. blowers, forklifts, trucks. Noise levels calculated for most sources reached the mid thirties - not far from the sound level limit of 45 dBA day or night hours. The cumulative impact of the combined 10 sound levels was 45 dBA - using Manufacturer’s Specifications of Sound Levels at a Distance, but just meeting the maximum permitted sound limit, which does not inspire confidence.

This first report noted the applicable limit for our area as Class 2. The August 2020 Jade Acoustics study changed the assessment criteria to Class 1 which permits a higher day hours limit of 50 dBA, and a 45 dBA for limit for night-time hour noise . A Toronto study (2017) found that current night time levels around the plant to be less than 40 dBA. This rather arbitrary shift will impact residents’ sleep.
An environmental Noise Study in the City of Toronto (2017) found that the ambient sound levels around the proposed site are among the lowest in the City, especially during the night-time hours, when the levels are below 40 dBA.

https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/8f4d-tph-Environmenta…

The Ontario NPC 300 has brought in new graduated limits for impulse sounds that should cover noise such as truck back-up alarms. However the acoustic assessment report states: “The MOE recognizes the need or back-up beepers as safety devices and as such does not have any guideline or criteria to address these sources.” However at night these pulsed sounds from trucks turning, and backing into the building will be the most disturbing for sleep, and must be taken into account regarding noise and disturbance to residents in this study, and under the health and wellness and noise provisions of Ontario’s Environmental Protection Act. The Noise Source Summary Table, page 14 - Truck loading/unloading impulses is measured at a very high and concerning level – at 11 dBA. Pulsed/impulse sound can be more disturbing than continuous sound, and trucks will be working night and day.

An abstract from a report published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, Exploring Nighttime Road Traffic noise: A Comprehensive Predictive Surface for Toronto, Canada underlined the health effects from noise:
Noise is an important risk factor for chronic disease and an emerging global public health problem.[1–3] In addition to directly causing hearing loss, environmental noise is associated with indirect effects such as sleep disturbance,[4,5] depression,[6,7] and cardiometabolic disease.[8–11] Sleep disturbance is a widespread consequence of environmental noise in cities, as nighttime noise is an environmental health hazard.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15459624.2018.1442006

Road traffic noise and children’s behavioral problems and sleep disturbance was reported in Environmental Research, 2013 and based on two large cohort studies. The conclusion was that road traffic noise exposure at home may be related to hyperactivity and more emotional symptoms in children.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935113000364?via…

Since the original ECA included both the bio-gas plant, and a large storage depot for up to 20,000 tonnes of waste construction material, the cumulative noise from truck loading and unloading from both of these facilities should be taken into account.

This proposal may also be in contravention of Toronto municipal Bylaw 878-2019 § 591-2.4. Loading and unloading. No person shall emit or cause or permit the emission of sound resulting from loading, unloading, delivering, packing, unpacking, and otherwise handling any containers, products or materials from 11 a.m. to 7 a.m. the next day, except until 9 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and statutory holidays. § 591-2.5.