Obligations to avoid air pollution are set out in Part 5.4 of the Protection of the
Environment Operations Act 1997. Industries must
-
operate
and maintain plant correctly
- carry
out work responsibly
- process,
handle, and store materials properly and efficiently
Industries undertaking scheduled activities must also
- comply
with air emission standards
- protect
the community from odour
The Act sets maximum penalties for air pollution offences of
- $1,000,000
for a corporation, plus up to $120,000 per day for a continuing offence
- $250,000
for an individual, plus up to $60,000 per day for a continuing offence
Maximum limits for emissions of air pollutants from industry in
NSW are contained in Part 5 of the Protection of the Environment Operations (Clean Air) Regulation.
See the detailed guide containing more information about Part 5.
Where monitoring is required, industries in NSW must use specified
methods to measure air pollutant emissions from their premises.
The emission limits in Part 5 are a minimum standard and do
not account for site-specific features such as meteorology, terrain, and
background air quality.
Odour can affect public amenity and a community’s quality of life.
The EPA has developed a policy framework and accompanying technical notes to help industry work
with local government and the EPA to prevent, minimise, and manage industrial
and commercial sources of odour.