New Law to Regulate Noise in Queretaro

Turning Down the Volume on Noisy Businesses in the Capital of Querétaro Fines of up to 170,000 pesos for those who violate the new municipal regulation

The Municipality of Querétaro is cracking down on noise pollution with a new regulation that sets limits and schedules, with fines ranging from 30,000 to 170,000 pesos.

This change is in response to the need to update the previous regulations, which followed the Official Mexican Standard 81, allowing noise levels of up to 68 decibels during the day and 65 decibels at night.

The decision to implement this municipal regulation is based on the fact that 63% of the complaints received by the Institute of Ecology and Climate Change were due to noise problems in areas such as the Historic Center, Josefa Vergara y Hernández, and Félix Osores Sotomayor.

During last Tuesday’s council session, Adriana Fuentes, representative of the PAN faction in the City Council, and Adolfo Diez, Environmental Liaison of the Institute of Ecology and Climate Change, explained the details of the new regulation.

“It is important to know that currently, noise is the most severe pollutant in the municipality of Querétaro and contributes to the growth of the city (…) It is necessary to address the serious noise problem, recognized by the WHO as a growing issue,” said Adriana Fuentes.

She added that Querétaro will be the first municipality to have its own technical standard, which establishes specific levels, schedules, and days for noise control.

Adolfo Diez detailed that the new standard is called “Technical Standard of the Municipality of Querétaro” and sets the maximum permissible noise limits for fixed sources and their measurement method. The regulation applies to fixed sources, including commercial establishments, services, and some industries under municipal jurisdiction.

“We seek, together with CENAM, to establish lower levels than the federal ones, which are currently 68 decibels during the day and 65 at night. The standard also considers zoning, as measurements vary in commercial, industrial, and special areas such as schools or hospitals,” he explained.

The new noise limits in special zones will be 45 decibels at night and 55 during the day, while in mixed zones the limit will be 60 decibels at night and 65 decibels during the day.

Source: Diario de Queretaro