Commercial, industrial and trade noise can have an impact on people nearby. It can be a problem when it disturbs people’s sleep. Ongoing noise can impact your health.

Different commercial and industrial activities can cause noise. Commercial, industrial and trade premises are anywhere that isn’t residential premises, such as: 

• shops 
• offices 
• farms 
• factories 
• mines and quarries. 

Not all noise from these places comes under commercial, industrial and trade noise. For example, while noise from irrigation pumps on a farm comes under commercial, industrial and trade noise, livestock noise doesn’t.  

Other sources of noise that don’t come under commercial, industrial and trade noise include: 

• construction noise 
• noise from major infrastructure projects  
• music noise from entertainment venues, concerts and outdoor events 
• noise from wind turbines at wind energy facilities 
• noise from blasting at mines and quarries. 

EPA’s ‘Applying the noise framework’ guidance series

EPA has published a comprehensive guidance series for business and community. The series explores how the environment protection framework (laws and regulations) apply to noise.

The series covers:

• how different sources of noise are regulated under the Environment Protection Act 2017 (for example, music noise vs industrial noise)
• how noise can be assessed (using qualitative ‘common sense’ assessment and quantitative technical measurements)
• how the different environment protection laws interact (the general environmental duty vs the duty not to emit unreasonable noise)
• examples of how you can comply with these laws and regulations

Two parts of the series are relevant to commercial, industrial and trade noise:

Unreasonable noise guidelines

These guidelines explain the concept of unreasonable noise. This includes pathways for determining if noise is unreasonable, and how they work with the general environmental duty. It also includes case study examples of compliance, enforcement and resolution of noise pollution events. For information visit, Unreasonable noise guidelines.

Commerce, industry, and trade noise guidelines

These guidelines are a comprehensive explanation of how the Environment Protection Act 2017 (section 25, section 166 and section 168) and the Environment Protection Regulations 2021 (Part 5.3, Division 3) apply to noise from commercial, industrial and trade premises. For information visit, Commerce, industry, and trade guidelines.