Noise: Busy ports serve as intermodal interfaces where a great many handling and transformation activities and industrial processes take place. Within such an environment, it is necessary to use a variety of auditory warnings to ensure the safety of personnel involved in port activities related to the movement of traffic and the loading and unloading of ships. In some cases, the ensuing noise can be disturbing to the residents of neighbouring communities. Moreover, noise levels have a tendency to vary considerably from one port area to another depending on the time of day.
Dust: Dust emissions at ports are generated by the handling and storage of bulk cargo, the movement of vehicles on unpaved roads, and activities related to construction. Depending on atmospheric conditions, significant quantities of dust can have an impact on air quality at both the port and its immediate surroundings.
Odours: Problems associated with odours are caused mainly by the loading and unloading of cargo such as petroleum products.
Light: Safety and security considerations require the use of adequate lighting for port activities that take place during the evening and night. In certain cases, citizens living within a port’s immediate vicinity may find that some light sources are too powerful or that they shine in the wrong direction.
Action Plan Arising from the Environmental Program
The demographic growth of cities, combined with the expansion of maritime commerce throughout the world, has created conflicts of use between city dwellers and port activities. In the St. Lawrence - Great Lakes system, cohabitation conditions vary considerably from one city to the next.As a first step, the action plan encourages improved understanding of these issues with a view to eventually proposing standard criteria for managing the social impacts of ports and terminals in the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes. Such criteria could be inspired by programs that are being developed outside Canada and the U.S., such as the European Union’s program to control noise pollution.
The performance indicator proposed by the action plan is based on the implementation of several concrete measures that will reduce the incidence of nuisance arising from the four problems identified above (dust, noise, odour, light). However, changing operational practices and adopting new technologies represent only one means by which ports and terminals can improve their performance with respect to minimizing social impacts. Another key means of so doing is by building a relationship based on mutual understanding and trust between citizens and port users. Towards that end, the level 5 performance indicator is based on the establishment of a permanent discussion forum in which the parties can come together to discuss issues of concern.