Local nuisance

Littering and activities that cause nuisance such as noise, smoke and dust impact on our enjoyment of local areas. The introduction of the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016 will help communities resolve local environmental complaints more efficiently through their local council.

The new Act gives councils increased powers to deal with issues in their areas, such as unsightly premises and illegal dumping.

The Act formalises the role of local government in managing local nuisance issues to provide consistency of services across all councils, create better tools for enforcement and more effectively deal with localised minor environmental complaints.

Since 1 July 2017, all local councils are responsible for responding to community complaints and enquiries regarding local nuisances in your area.

The EPA will remain the main contact for significant environment complaints.