DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

Noise pollution has emerged as the most frequently reported environmental crime in the Dominican Republic, with the Specialized Attorney General’s Office for the Defense of the Environment and Natural Resources (Proedemaren) receiving more than 5,000 cases per month nationwide. Noise pollution is a cultural problem. Dominicans like music loud. High music levels are currently viewed as a public health concern by the Ministry of Public Health.

The Ministry of Interior and Police under Minister Faride Raful has sought to tackle the issue, with many successes, but the cultural issues have yet to be resolved so that the population understands the damage caused by high noise levels.

Assistant Attorney General Francisco Contreras told El Dia that noise complaints significantly outpace other infractions. Regulated under Law 90-19 on Acoustic Pollution, these violations...