Pollution Control 

The City of Nedlands’ unique environment is something both Council and residents can take pride in. Unfortunately, on occasion, a small number of individuals negatively impact the local environment through littering, illegal dumping of rubbish or refuse, and the discharge of liquid waste onto streets or public land. The City aims to respond promptly to all reported dumping incidents. 

Rubbish 

If you witness rubbish being dumped on Council property or within any reserves, please contact the City’s Ranger Services team on 9273 3500. After hours calls will be redirected to the City’s answering service.

Unauthorised discharges 

The Environmental Protection (Unauthorised Discharges) Regulations 2004 set out what materials are prohibited from being discharged into the environment or burned. Any person involved in a business or commercial activity has a responsibility to dispose of waste in an appropriate and lawful manner to protect the environment.

Persons acting in connection with a business or commercial activity may be issued with a fine of up to $5,000 if they are found to have discharged prohibited materials into the environment or burned restricted materials in a way that causes visible smoke.

For a full list of materials that must not be discharged into the environment or burned to create visible smoke, refer to the Environmental Protection (Unauthorised Discharges) Regulations 2004.

If you witness a person discharging materials into the environment or burning prohibited materials, please complete the Health Complaint Form and submit it via this enquiry form. 

Water Pollution 

Suspected water pollution affecting the Swan and Canning rivers should be reported to the Swan River Trust.

For water pollution incidents that do not impact the Swan or Canning rivers, please report the matter to the appropriate authority listed on the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation website: Reporting pollution to water (der.wa.gov.au).

Wood Smoke 

Wood smoke contains a combination of gases and fine particles, including carbon monoxide and fine and coarse particulate matter.

Exposure to wood smoke can have adverse effects on health. For further information, refer to Health effects of wood smoke by the WA Department of Health.

The BurnWise program, administered by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, provides guidance on the safe and responsible use of wood heaters, backyard burning, and barbecues. A range of brochures is available to answer common questions and outline best‑practice guidelines for safe use within the community.

For more information, visit BurnWise – Information for the Community.

Download the Wood Heater brochure