Redland City Council investigates environmental nuisance about air pollutants including, light and odour.
What is an environmental nuisance?
The Environmental Protection Act 1994 states that an: Environmental nuisance is unreasonable interference or likely interference with an environmental value caused by aerosols, fumes, light, noise, odour or particles of smoke.
Advise about air pollutants, the complaints process, how to reduce light and odour emissions and how to make a complaint can be found on this page:
Complaints not investigated by Council
Council shares responsibility for air emission complaints with other authorities. Council does not investigate light emissions from freeways and highways, including on and off ramp. This is a Department of Transport and Main Roads responsibility.
How Council manages air emission complaints
Council investigates most air emissions using the Environmental Protection Act 1994. However, any sites with development approval conditions would be investigated using the Planning Act 2016.
When investigating air pollution complaints, Council must consider:
- whether the site has a development approval with a condition specific to emissions
- the amount of air emissions being emitted
- the duration and rate of emission and the characteristics and qualities
- the sensitivity of the environment and the impacts
- the views of any other neighbours or complainants
- any measures that have been taken or could reasonably have been taken by the person causing the emission.
For Council to investigate an air emission complaint, an emissions diary needs to be completed. This should be done for a minimum of two weeks, noting the time and duration of the emissions and how it is impacting you.
If Council officers determine an air emission is unlawful, a notice maybe issued to rectify the nuisance in a reasonable timeframe. If the person does not comply with the notice, an on-the-spot fine may be issued.
Complaints
If you are affected by air emissions, talk to the person responsible and try to achieve a solution. Give them time to do something about it.
If you can't reach a solution, you can lodge a complaint with Council. Alternatively, you can contact the Dispute Resolution Centre.
Making a complaint about air pollution
Contact Council to lodge a complaint about an air pollution issue managed by Council.
Light
Light emissions can come from many sources including security lights, spot lights and flood lights, advertising signs and entertainment events. Sometimes light can affect neighbours and interfere with their normal activities. If severe enough, it can impact on people's health.
How to reduce light emissions
You can reduce light emissions by:
- turning off lights when not in use or not needed. Consider using sensor switches
- locating lights as far as possible from neighbours and away from sensitive areas, like bedroom windows
- avoiding placing the light near a reflective surface and use existing features to hide the light source from view
- directing light downwards to illuminate the target area. If there is no alternative to up-lighting, try shields and baffles to help keep spill light to a minimum
- using equipment that can minimise light spread near, or above, the horizontal
- fitting only the number of light bulbs you need for an area; over-lighting can cause light pollution and waste energy
- keeping glare to a minimum; ensure the main light beam is kept below 70 degrees from horizontal.
This information is also available as a:
Odour
Odour can come from many sources including spear pumps, septic tanks, compost heaps, rotting vegetation, fertilisers and rubbish. Sometimes odour can affect neighbours and interfere with their normal activities. If severe enough, it can impact on people's health.
How to reduce odour
General odour
You can reduce odour by:
- keeping your yard tidy – rubbish and vegetation can create an odour
- considering weather conditions before applying fertilisers – try to avoid windy days and wet days
- covering or enclosing your compost and turning regularly.
Septic tank odour
You can reduce septic tank odour by:
- perform regular maintenance on your septic tank system and pump it out when needed
- not putting paints, hazardous chemicals, cigarette butts, pet bath water and sanitary napkins down the drain
- not washing grease, fats and oils down your kitchen sink – use environmentally friendly products with low sodium
- making sure the septic trenches and effluent irrigation system is working correctly and not leaking or ponding effluent over the ground
- ensuring there are no cracks in the septic tank lid and grease traps.
Spear pump odour
You can reduce spear pump odour by:
- making sure the pump is sealed and free of cracks
- regularly removing the slime or chemical sludge from the spear pump screens
- avoiding using a sprinkler – use a hand-held hose with a large droplet setting or a soaker hose facing downwards into the soil.
This information is also available as a: