Environmentally Relevant Activities (ERAs)

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

  • On-farm chemical misuse incident involving human exposure to chemicals
  • Related concerns about risks to human health
 Workplace Health and Safety Qld
Phone: 1300 369 915
  • Spray drift damage to, or abnormal growth in commercial crops,
  • Suspected injury or residue contamination to livestock
  • Crops or livestock issues including aquaculture
 Biosecurity Queensland
Phone: 13 25 23
Agricultural chemical misuse incidents – spray drift not evident Biosecurity Queensland
Phone: 13 25 23
Environmental damage
  • Affected waterways
  • Damaged vegetation or trees
 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

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