Report pollution to contribute to the solution
Oil spills, fish kills and rubbish hills – What should you do if you witness an environmental incident?
The Environmental Regulator receives hundreds of pollution reports and complaints each year from various sources. Reports can come from:
- the community through our Pollution Hotline
- industry self reporting
- officers undertaking inspections or
- other regulators and agencies.
Our response to pollution incidents is in line with our triage guideline. Reports are assessed and prioritised based on the impact or the risk of impact to human health and the environment. This enables the Regulation Division to focus our regulatory resources on the issues that have the potential to cause the greatest environmental harm.
When deciding the appropriate action to take in response to a report, the Division will always apply our PACTT principles. This means we aim to be proportionate, accountable, consistent, targeted and transparent.
What should I report?
You should report incidents that may harm the environment. For example:
- hazardous materials entering a waterway
- sediment-laden water from a construction site which is entering a stormwater drain
- a diesel spill that has spread more than 3 metres or could enter a waterway
- witnessing illegal dumping
- large amounts of dust issuing from construction sites.
What shouldn’t I report?
If there is no environmental harm, don’t report it. If you are not sure, report it. Officers will apply the triage guideline and assess if action is required.
When we are unlikely to respond.
The Division only has jurisdiction to consider reports that fall under the legislation it administers. This includes the:
- Waste Management and Pollution Control Act 1998
- Water Act 1992
- Environment Protection Act 2019
- Petroleum (Environment) Regulation 2016
If the report does not relate to issues under the above Acts, then the Division may refer the issue to another regulator or service provider who does have jurisdiction. For a list of regulators, check out the NTEPA page.
How do I report an incident?
If you have witnessed an incident: Fill out a report form online or call the 24 hour Pollution Hotline.
If you are self-reporting a major incident, you need to submit a Section 14 incident report form.
When should I report the incident?
You should contact us as soon as possible.
You must report major environmental incidents within 24 hours. It is an offence to fail to report a serious incident.
What should I include in the report?
It is important to include as much information as possible in the report, including:
- Date and time
- Location, including proximity to sensitive habitat, protected areas or waterways
- A description of the incident
- What or who could be causing incident
- If any attempts are being made to reduce the pollution
- Photos
We use this information to assess the risk to the environment.
Can I remain anonymous?
You should provide your contact details so we can contact you to find out more about the incident and/or let you know outcomes. However, officers will not share this information. You can choose to remain anonymous when submitting the report.
