Your duty to report pollution incidents
If you have a ‘duty to notify’ and you become aware of a pollution incident you are required to report the incident immediately. This ‘duty to notify’ applies to
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anyone carrying on an activity which causes a pollution incident – whether or not that activity requires a licence
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anyone employing someone who is carrying on that activity
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anyone occupying a premises where that activity is being carried out
This applies to any incident causing or threatening material harm to the environment.
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For information about the requirements to report pollution, prepare incident response management plans and publish monitoring data that commenced in 2012 see Protection of the Environment Legislation Amendment Act 2011 and Frequently asked questions regarding the duty to notify of a pollution incident.
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For information about how to report a pollution incident see Protocol for industry notification of pollution incidents.
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For more information about the duty to notify, including what must be notified and who must notify, see Duty to notify pollution incidents.
Your duty to prepare and implement pollution incident response management plans
Licencees are required to prepare pollution incident response management plans for each licensed activity.
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For more information about this requirement see Protection of the Environment Legislation Amendment Act 2011.
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For information about how to prepare your plan see Environmental guidelines: Preparation of pollution incident response management plans.
Emergency Pollution Clean Up Programs
Funding may be available to avoid a delay in cleaning up serious pollution where a responsible party cannot be identified in time. This funding may avoid a delay but the responsible party will ultimately be responsible for all clean-up costs.
For more information
- See the Emergency Pollution Clean Up Program Interim Guidelines (PDF 357KB)
- See the Illegally Dumped Asbestos Pollution Clean Up Program Guidelines (PDF 362 KB)
- Email pollution.cleanup@epa.nsw.gov.au
- Phone 131 555 (available 24 hours)
