Poland to grant municipalities new powers over noise regulation

Poland's Ministry of Climate and Environment plans to amend Article 157 of the Environmental Protection Act so that local gminas can set rules for organizing noisy events. The proposal, backed by Warsaw councilor Marta Szczepańska, aims to end the perceived “impunity” of large‑scale gatherings and night car races that exceed acoustic limits.

Szczepańska and activist Włodzimierz Nowak argue that current noise‑monitoring provisions are rarely enforced, citing examples such as the Circoloco event in Wilanów. They advocate for measures used in other EU countries, including acoustic speed cameras that automatically detect overly loud vehicles. A petition supporting these changes gathered over 20,000 signatures and has been forwarded to the Sejm's Infrastructure Committee.

If adopted, municipalities would be able to require noise monitoring at mass events and impose penalties, aligning Poland's standards more closely with those of Western European cities.