Odour

Odours can be a nuisance to neighbours and impact people’s health. Odour can come from many sources, like:

compost heaps
rotting vegetation
fertilisers
rubbish
septic tanks
chemicals.

Investigating reports of odour

We investigate odours coming from residential premises in line with our Local Law No. 10 (Public Health) 1999. We investigate:

how strong the odour is
how long the odour has been occurring for
the type of odour
the sensitivity of the environment
the effect the odour has or may have
the opinions of other neighbours.

If we find that the odour is causing a nuisance, we may issue a compliance notice to the person causing the odour. The notice will explain the problem and give a timeframe for it to be fixed. We may issue a fine if the person causing the odour does not comply with the notice.

Some odours may be dealt with by other government agencies.

How you can help to reduce odour problems

To help reduce odour nuisance, you can:

reduce rubbish by:
- composting and mulching organic waste and garden clippings
- recycling plastic, glass, paper and cans
be careful when storing and using chemicals like paint which may cause strong and offensive odour
think about weather conditions before starting work that will create an odour
try to avoid windy days when fertilising and spray fertiliser with water to help it absorb into the soil
enclose or cover compost bins or vegetation and regularly turn and aerate to reduce odour
have your septic tank regularly serviced and pumped out when needed.

For more information or to report an issue, please call us on 07 3412 3412 or email us at council@logan.qld.gov.au.

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