Pollution Watch

You can report pollution, illegal dumping and other environmental matters to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation.
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The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation operates a Pollution Watch service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

You can report pollution, illegal dumping and other environmental matters using our online form at the bottom of this page or by calling our Pollution Watch hotline on 1300 784 782.

Our Pollution Watch service is staffed between 8.30am and 4.30pm on weekdays. Outside of these hours you will be directed to an automated message with an option to leave a message or if you are reporting a major pollution event, elect to speak to an operator.

Call 000 to report a life-threatening incident or emergency

If you are an occupier of a premises on or from which a discharge of waste to the environment has occurred that causes or is likely to cause pollution, material or serious environmental harm, you have obligations under s.72 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act). View further information on your obligations and duty to notify the department under the EP Act.

Report to the responsible authority

Some environmental issues are managed by local government, other State or Australian government agencies, or other organisations. The information below will assist you in identifying the appropriate authority to report to.

Nuisance issues such as noise, dust and odour from residential and small to medium businesses are managed by your local government authority. You can find contact information in the My Council directory.

If we are not responsible for the regulation of, or response to a report, we will forward your report to the relevant authority.

Information to record

To assist us to respond to your report, record as many details as possible, including:

  • contact details of the person who observed the event
  • description of what happened (e.g. noise, odour, illegal dumping)
  • time and date – when it happened
  • where it happened – location/address
  • description of any environmental values that may be affected
  • if relevant, how it has impacted your health or comfort
  • alleged offender’s details – this may include name, business name, telephone, address, email, vehicle registration plate
  • if relevant, other information such as weather conditions.

Crime Stoppers Western Australia

We have partnered with Crime Stoppers to provide another avenue for community members to anonymously report pollution, illegal dumping or other environmental matters. You can find out more on the Crime Stoppers WA website.

To make a report about unreasonable odour, go to our odour reporting webpage.

Noise is regulated under the EP Act and the Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997. We regulate noise from large industries that are licensed or registered under the EP Act. Find out more about regulating noise.

A variety of state government, local government, other organisations and authorities manage reports of unreasonable noise. You can use the information below to report to the responsible authority. 

Type Contact

Noise from:

  • residential or small to medium businesses
  • air conditioner and loud music
  • construction or land development of residential or commercial properties

Local government - My Council directory

Aircraft noise

Airservices Australia Noise Complaints and Information Service
Telephone: 1800 802 584

Airservices - Aircraft noise
Noise from concerts

Event promoter if you received prior notification or local government - My Council directory

Construction noise – residential, commercial, light industry

Contact the construction company directly or local government - My Council directory

Traffic noise from main roads

Traffic noise associated with local roads is managed by the relevant local government authority

Main Roads
Telephone: 138 138

Local government - My Council directory

Noisy vehicles

Department of Transport - Assessment of vehicle noise levels

Passenger train noise

Public Transport Authority
Telephone: 13 62 13

Loud parties or burglar alarms that have been sounding for more than 30 minutes

WA Police

Noise from shipping and associated activities such as loading and unloading at major ports

Relevant port authority
Noise from large industries licensed or registered under the EP Act Our Pollution Watch service

To make a report, go to our dust emissions webpage.

Unlawful clearing of native vegetation

To make a report, go to our unlawful clearing of native vegetation webpage.

Illegal dumping

We investigate and prosecute illegal dumping offences under the EP Act. 

Illegal dumping is the unauthorised discharging or abandonment of waste and is an offence under the EP Act.

Examples of illegal dumping include dumping of tyres, car bodies, construction and demolition waste, commercial waste and large quantities of unwanted household items.

To assist our investigations, we need as many details as possible to help identify offenders, including:

  • time and date you witnessed the event or observed the dumped waste
  • address and description of the location (roadways, bushland, industrial area)
  • vehicle registration number, colour and make of vehicle
  • description of person/s dumping the waste
  • type and quantity of waste
  • photographs or video footage.

You can report illegal dumping to our Pollution Watch service.

More information is available on our illegal dumping webpage.

Littering - Keep Australia Beautiful Council

Throwing or dropping litter, even unintentionally, is an offence under the Litter Act 1979.

Registered litter reporters can report littering from a vehicle or by a person on foot, including discarding cigarette butts and food wrappings, to the Keep Australia Beautiful Council.

You can register as a litter reporter and report littering to the Keep Australia Beautiful Council.

Emissions or discharges into the environment

If you observe an emission or discharge of waste or chemicals into the environment, from a person, company, vehicle or tank, you can report the event to our Pollution Watch service, including:

  • liquid waste discharged or spilling from a vehicle or tank
  • discharges of waste into the environment, waterways or groundwater
  • overflows of wastewater from a wastewater treatment plant or pump station
  • abandoned chemicals, chemical drums or containers
  • air pollution caused by the burning of tyres, plastics or rubber.

Reports may be made by the person who observed the event or the person or company whose activities caused the emission or discharge.

An occupier of a premises on or from which a discharge of waste to the environment has occurred that causes or is likely to cause pollution, material or serious environmental harm, has a duty to notify the Chief Executive Officer of the department as soon as practicable. You can read more about your obligations under the EP Act.

Some types of spills and discharges are managed by other state government agencies or authorities. You can use the information below to report to the responsible authority. 

Type Contact

Pollution from vessels on the Swan and Canning rivers (oil or fuel spills or slicks)

Damage to vegetation along the Swan and Canning rivers – Swan Canning Riverpark

Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions

Pollution from vessels within three nautical miles off the coast and marine oil spills

Oil or fuel spills or slicks on the Swan and Canning rivers

Department of Transport – Marine pollution

Emissions of refrigerants that are ozone depleting substances and/or synthetic greenhouse gases

Australian Refrigeration Council

Misuse of pesticides

Department of Health

Residential or small to medium business pollution-related matters

Local government - My Council directory

Asbestos – residential demolition or illegal dumping of asbestos at residential properties

Local government - My Council directory

Smoke/Smoky vehicles

Call 000 to report a life-threatening incident or emergency

Type Contact

Smoke from prescribed burns

Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions

To view a list of prescribed burns and burn offs, and other warnings and incidents go to EmergencyWA

Woodsmoke from domestic wood heaters (smoky chimneys)

Backyard burning

Local government - My Council directory

Smoky vehicles

Smoky vehicles reporting

Impacts to plants and animals

If you observe impacts to plants and animals related to pollution, an emission or discharge of waste or chemicals into the environment, you can lodge a report to our Pollution Watch service. Impacts to plants and animals are also managed by other state government agencies. You can use the information below to report to the responsible authority.

Type Contact

Sick or injured wildlife and snake removals

Wildcare Helpline
Telephone: 9474 9055

Pest watch – detecting aquatic pests

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Algal blooms

Our ALGALWATCH team on 6250 8064 (office hours) or email peu@dwer.wa.gov.au

Your nearest Department of Water and Environmental Regulation office

Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (for the Swan Canning Riverpark) on 9278 0900

Fish deaths FishWatch 24-hour hotline
Telephone: 1800 815 507

Report a contaminated site

To report a known or suspected contaminated site, go to our contaminated sites webpage.

Submit a report to Pollution Watch

When you submit a report to Pollution Watch, you will receive a response from us acknowledging your submission. We may contact you for further information. 

Not all matters reported to Pollution Watch are managed by the department. For reports that relate to another local government or other State or Australian Government agency, we will forward the report to the relevant authority. Please note you may remain anonymous.

You can call our Pollution Watch hotline on 1300 784 782 or use the form below to submit your report.