The line graph provides data on the complaints on noise filed to the Newton’s Environmental Health authorities from 1980 to 1996. Overall, the number of complaints made about four noise sources increased over the 16-year period except for domestic noise, which actually declined.
In details, Environmental Health authorities in Newtown received over 600 household noise-related objections in 1980 and that was the highest among the four categories of noise complaints this year. Complaints about domestic noise kept on steadily declining with a few minor fluctuations till it hit the trough of just around 100 complaints, the lowest in 1996.
Complaints lodged about traffic and roadwork noises showed a similar trend – both were almost steady till 1998 and then soared rapidly afterwards. Traffic blare was responsible for about 300 complaints, 200 fewer than that of road works, both of which remained unchanged till 1984 and then dropped to 200 and 300 respectively between 1986 and 1988. The number of objections about both types of cacophony surged to the highest point in 1996, with over 1200 complaints about road works and 600 about traffic noise. In particular, 1200 complaints were the highest number on the recorded objections made to authorities during the whole period.
Now turning to the complaints people made to authorities regarding noises from factories, it was just 400 in 1980. It then rose to 700 in 1986, and afterwards, it levelled off with minimal oscillation till 1996 when around 650 complaints were lodged.