Air Pollution
Emissions into the air can impact the health and environment around you, including causing health issues such as respiratory problems to the young and elderly and generally interfering in normal daily activities of others.
Air pollution is generally classed into three categories including Odour, Dust, and Smoke. Council only has jurisdiction to act on certain air pollution issues and shares the responsibility of air emissions with other government agencies.
If you have a problem with air emissions such as odour, dust or smoke try and resolve firstly with your neighbour, as they are often not aware of their actions impacting others. If however, the issue does continue or there is other conflict please contacts Council.
Ways you can reduce odour emissions include:
- keep your property tidy and don't allow vegetation or rubbish to accumulate
- consider weather conditions before starting work, for example when using fertiliser
- enclose or cover compost bins and piles of vegetation
- Liasie with your local Fire Department when looking at burning off vegetation and rubbish.
Who is responsible for Air Pollution complaints?
| Air Pollution Nuisance | Description of Nuisance | Regulatory Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Dust | Dust being emitted from a Development/building site | Council Phone: (07) 4189 9100 |
| Dust being emitted from Residential Land ie from mowing | ||
| Dust being emitted from farmland | ||
| Dust being emitted by State or Local Government from works being conducted | ||
| Odour | Council Sewage Treatment Plant / Private sewage treatment Plant |
Council Phone: (07) 4189 9100 |
| Septic Tank | Council Phone: (07) 4189 9100 |
|
| General (eg fertiliser, pesticides, waste, hoarding) | Council Phone: (07) 4189 9100 |
|
| Offensive odour caused by animal faeces (e.g.dog faeces in a neighbour's backyard) | Council Phone: (07) 4189 9100 |
|
| Piggery, Feedlot or other Primary Industry | Biosecurity Queensland Phone: 13 25 23 |
|
| Smoke | Backyard Burning using incinerator or burning rubbish | Council Phone: (07) 4189 9100 |
| Commercial Kitchen exhaust canopy | Council Phone: (07) 4189 9100 |
|
| Chimney smoke | Council Phone: (07) 4189 9100 |
|
| Bushfire Smoke | Queensland Fire and Rescue Service | |
| Smokey Vehicle | Queensland Transport | |
| Cigarette smoke | Queensland Health | |
|
Spray Drift |
Human Health Issues
|
Workplace Health and Safety Qld Phone: 1300 369 915 |
|
Biosecurity Queensland Phone: 13 25 23 |
|
| Agricultural chemical misuse incidents – spray drift not evident | Biosecurity Queensland Phone: 13 25 23 |
|
Environmental damage
|
Department of Environment & Heritage Protection Phone: 1300 130 372 |
|
| Overflying of aerial spraying aircraft over residential homes – NOT FOR SPRAY DRIFT MATTERS | Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Phone: 13 17 57 |
|
| Spray Drift incident resulting in more than one impact I.e. if spray drift has allegedly caused both commercial crop and chemical run-off into a nearby stream, EHP would deal with runoff and Biosecurity with the alleged commercial crop damage
|
Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP) Phone: 1300 130 372 Biosecurity Queensland Phone: 13 25 23 |
How to lodge a Service Request with Council
If the air pollution nuisance or health concern is delegated to the council you can lodge a Service Request where an officer will investigate the matter to determine if there is a breach of legislation and if compliance action is required.
Please contact Council on phone (07) 4189 9100.
Further Information and Resources
- Noise, Odour, Dust complaints as determined under the Environmental Protection Act and State Government.
- Who to report Chemical Spray Drift to