Pollution, Noise & Nuisance
The Environmental Protection Team may be able you help you if you are badly affected by pollution, noise or nuisance
What we can help with
- Air Quality and Pollution
- Environmental Permitting - Air Quality and Pollution information for Businesses
- Smoke Nuisance and Dark Smoke - from bonfires or chimneys
- Light Pollution - from security or decorative lights
- Noise - parties, music, barking dogs, machinery, DIY, construction sites and Anti Social Behaviour
- Odour Pollution - piles of manure, extract units, manure spreading
- Pests - associated with a commercial property
- Accumulation of Rubbish/Refuse - causing smells, flies, rats etc (associated with a commercial property)
- Dust - DIY, industrial processes
- Contaminated Land issues and enquiries - Contaminated Land
What other services can help with
- Land/gardens which are untidy, unsightly or overgrown - contact our Planning Enforcement Team on 0300 303 8588
- Fly Tipping is dealt with by the Neighbourhood Services team
- Abandoned Vehicles is dealt with by the Neighbourhood Services team
- Accumulation of Rubbish/Refuse in a public area - contact Somerset Waste Partnership on 01823 625700
- Housing Public Health issues (including pests and accumulations) - contact our Housing Team on 0300 303 8588
What external agencies can help with
- Transport Noise (road, rail and aircraft noise), although, we may be able to give you informal advice
- Drainage (foul sewers and surface water pipes) - contact Wessex Water on 0345 600 4600
- Drainage (watercourses, land drainage pipes & pollution - contact the Environment Agency on 03708 506 506
How to make an environmental complaint
Light pollution is light that affects you on or in your property. Often light pollution is caused by security lights and garden lights.
"Idling" is when a vehicle's engine is left running while it is parked or stationary for a period of time, contributing further to air pollution.
This page gives advice to businesses on their duties with regards to air quality.
Smoke from bonfires and chimneys from neighbouring properties, can affect people's enjoyment of their homes and become a nuisance.
Excessive noise can be a source of annoyance and stress which can interfere with everyday life, cause sleep disturbance and on occasions affect your health
An odour can be defined as a smell that is detectable. Odour is subjective, what is offensive to one person may be acceptable to another.
The Environmental Protection Team has specific legal powers within the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949, to take steps to ensure that owners and occupiers of land keep their land free from large numbers of rats and mice. The legislation provides the Council with powers to require the owner or occupier of land infested by rats or mice to take any steps that are deemed to be necessary to deal with the infestation.
An accumulation of rubbish may be investigated if there is the possibility it may be a public health concern.
