City of South Perth - Report Smoke/Dust/Odour Issues

Dust requests

The City will respond to dust typically caused by:

construction work
industrial activity

Source of the dust

Dust residue

Dust suppression practices

Good dust suppression practices include:

limiting cleared areas by retaining vegetation on site to stabilise top soil cover.
scheduling developments or planned works so that they can be carried out at a time of year that will reduce dust emissions and its impacts.
having appropriate physical barriers to significantly help control dust over short distances.
watering soil piles or large cleared land areas (as an effective short term practice) to suppress the soil particles ability to become airborne
using hydro-mulch, an extremely effective suppressor of materials after earthworks for places where no access via pedestrians or vehicles is possible.

If you have concerns about dust originating from your own workplace, contact Worksafe on 1300 307 877.

Fire/smoke

Fire/smoke: 1 May-30 November

This is a restricted burning period and permits are not issued during this period
Activities where wood, vegetation or other materials are burnt can create smoke that contributes to the pollution of our air
Smoke can be a nuisance in urban areas when produced in excessive quantities. Negative health impacts may also be experienced
It is against the City's local laws to produce excessive smoke and cause a nuisance
Please keep this in mind, and note that action could be taken and such activities will be asked to cease.

Fire/smoke: 1 December-30 April

If you would like to report fire/smoke issues between December and April, please refer to Illegal Burning information.

Permits

This City does not issue permits to burn refuse. If you have green waste, this can be disposed via the City's transfer station or your next green waste collection.

Outdoor heating/cooking

I have just purchased a fire pit/chiminea/ wood barbeque/pizza oven. Can I use it or do I need a permit?

As noted in the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation pamphlet - backyard barbeques, chimineas, outdoor pizza ovens and other outdoor fireplaces should be operated so that they don't produce any smoke.
Solid fuel barbeques and fire apparatus such as fire pits/braziers/chimineas or other recognised equipment used for heating or cooking at home can be used. Please note - charcoal is the cleanest burning fuel available to assist with minimising smoke.
The above apparatus are not permitted to be used on days when the Bureau of Meteorology has issued a fire danger forecast of very high, extreme or catastrophic or when the State Minister issues a Total Fire Ban.

Wood heaters

Odour/pollution issues

You must know where the source of the odour/pollution is, for a complaint to be lodged as the odour can only be stopped at the source.

Odours can be subjective

Varying atmospheric conditions have a direct impact on the timing and intensity of odours.
This information can be useful in investigations however it also means odour matters can be difficult to resolve as there are limitations to the actions available to the City (as odours can be subjective).
It relies upon subjective assessments of offensiveness and what is reasonable as well as proximity to some activities.
This is particularly problematic in dealing with odours arising from a necessary process such as cooking or emissions for short/intermittent periods in some commercial activities.

Your own home

Chemical discharge / spills

Under Western Australia's Environmental Protection (Unauthorised Discharges) Regulations 2004, it is an offence to cause or allow certain materials to enter the environment in connection with a commercial or business activity. If you have concerns regarding a commercial or business discharging chemicals, raise a request below.

Issues with neighbours

People are sometimes unaware that their activities are causing a problem.
The City encourages all residents and business operators to talk to their neighbours about any issues before making a complaint.

Report Smoke/Dust/Odour Issues