EFFECTIVENESS OF NOISE COUNTERMEASURES AT NARITA AIRPORT

Aircraft noise is one of the most serious problems that affect communities surrounding airports. Strategy for noise mitigation is therefore a matter of great concern as a mainstay of environmental policies at Narita Airport. This paper briefly describes noise measures which the Narita Airport Authority (NAA) has carried out and then examines their effectiveness for noise-effect mitigation. The measures, which are focused on noise reduction at sound sources (restrictions of noisy aircraft and aircraft movements, and improvement of flight procedures), structural improvement to the airport (wooded buffer zones, noise mitigation embankments and noise suppressor facilities) and countermeasures in the surrounding communities (compensation to soundproofing and removal of houses, land use control and other local treatments), are based on a Law on the Prevention of Troubles due to Aircraft Noise around Public Airdrome, as well as a Law for Special Measures to Control Aircraft Noise Around Specified Airports. The paper refers to the circumstances in legislation of these laws and their effectiveness for control of airport noise problems. (A) For the covering abstract see ITRD E113232.