Since 2001, we have guaranteed the monitoring of aeronautical noise origin at the airports of Linate and Malpensa, in compliance with current national legislation. The monitoring system is equipped with 22 permanent field stations (16 at Malpensa and 6 at Linate) and 4 mobile stations, the latter used for specific studies. We operate in collaboration and under the strict control of ARPA (Environmental Regional Protection Agency) in order to improve the monitoring actions and protect the areas which surround our airports. ARPA, based on the criteria defined by the Lombardy Region Guidelines, classified 4 of the 6 stations at Malpensa in the “Monitoring” category, 4 of the 6 at Linate and 10 of the current 16 at Malpensa. Italian Ministerial Decree of October 31, 1997 defined the index to be used for the measurement of airport noise as the Level of Assessment of Airport Noise, or ‘Livello di Valutazione del Rumore Aeroportuale (LVA)’. Furthermore, it classified three zones around each airport by maximum thresholds of admitted noise, varying according to human settlement types:
- ZONE A: The LVA index is set from 60 to 65 dB(A). There are no limits on this category.
- ZONE B: The LVA index is set from 65 to 75 dB(A). The LVA index is set from 65 to 75 dB(A), for areas of agricultural, livestock breeding, industrial, commercial, office, tertiary and similar activities.
- ZONE C: The LVA index may exceed the value of 75 dB(A) produced exclusively by activities functionally connected to the airport infrastructure.
The boundaries of each zone are identified by the Airport Commissions, according to Italian Ministerial Decree of October 31, 1997.
The Linate Commission approved zoning in 2009, while the Malpensa Commission has yet to conclude the process. The acoustic data detected by the monitoring stations is analyzed with the aid of a special information system. By using the radar paths of individual flights, provided by the Italian National Flight Assistance Agency (ENAV), it is possible to distinguish aeronautical noise from the total noise detected. Detailed information on the noise emissions and operations of our airports may be consulted in a specific section of the website www.seamilano.eu.
Linate - noise monitoring LVA dB (A) *
Source: SEA
* Note: LVA - Airport Assessment Level: calculated, in accordance with Ministerial Decree 31/10/1997 – Airport noise measurement methodology, based on the AEL data relating to the three weeks with highest traffic identified in 2017.
Malpensa - noise monitoring LVA dB (A) *
Source: SEA
Note: LVA - Airport Assessment Level: calculated, in accordance with Ministerial Decree 31/10/1997 – Airport noise measurement methodology, based on the AEL data relating to the three weeks with highest traffic identified in 2017.
(1) In the period from February 1 to July 29, 2016, in the Lonate Pozzolo cemetery, works were carried out for the construction of a new columbarium block near to the monitoring station, which caused interference in the acoustic measurements.
(*) The data shown in the figures are awaiting validation by the Lombardia Regional Agency for the Protection of the Environment (ARPA), which controls the airport noise monitoring network according to national legislation.