Odours and Fumes
Impacted by odours or fumes? Find out how to make a report.
Odours and Fumes
Whether they come from a local business or a neighbouring home, shared air is part of living in a community. Under local laws, we all share the responsibility to prevent excessive fumes, odours, escaping our properties and disrupting others.
When is it considered a nuisance?
Because everyone experiences odours differently, what is pleasant to one person might be bothersome to another.
Legally, under the Environmental Protection Act 1986, an odour can be investigated if it consistently interferes with a neighbour's health, comfort, or daily well-being.
City Officers can only action an odour complaint if it is deemed an ongoing nuisance. This is assessed by considering the following six factors:
Frequency: How often the odour occurs.
Intensity: How strong the odour is.
Duration: How long it lingers during the day.
Offensiveness: How unpleasant the odour is considered to be.
Location: Where is it being detected and the sensitivity of that location (Eg. within a home or workplace)
Impact: How much it gets in the way of normal, everyday activities.
Simple Ways to Prevent Nuisance Odours
A few small adjustments around the yard can go a long way in keeping the air clear and maintaining great relationships with your neighbour’s:
Tidy Up:
Try to keep garden clippings, vegetation, and household rubbish from building up in large piles.
Care for Compost:
Keep compost bins covered or enclosed where possible. Giving them a regular turn and stir keeps air flowing, which naturally reduces heavy odours.
Mind the Pipes:
Trees planted too close to underground utility lines can break pipes and cause sewage odours. A local nursery can point you toward lovely plants with non-invasive roots, or you can use a root barrier.
Watch the Weather:
Before working with strong fertilizers, check the forecast. Avoiding windy days keeps the odour from blowing toward your neighbours, and avoiding rainy days stops the fertilizer from washing into our local creeks and rivers.
Lodging a Formal Complaint
If you have a concern about odours or fumes in your neighbourhood, the City recommends you first approach the person causing the issue to explain how it is affecting you. Often, they may not realise that they are disturbing other residents.
If believe the odour meets the nuisance criteria as explained above, you can request the have your complaint formally investigated by City by completing the Request Form and Log Sheet below. Both completed forms are required, so that Officers have the basic information to commence their investigation.
Odour Investigation Request Form
