f you are concerned about local air pollution from back yard burning please contact the Council on (03) 6397 7303.

The following are brochures produced by the EPA Division of Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment and provide detailed information

Regulations on Backyard Burning
Regulations of Wood Heater Emissions
Environmental Regulations for the Manufacture, Importation and Sale of Wood Heaters

For all other air quality matters including specific air pollution problems please follow this link to the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) website.

Council monitors recreational water quality at popular locations during the summer months from December to March and posts warning signs at those locations if the water quality is not suitable for recreational activity.

Tas Water is responsible for the quality of reticulated drinking water. They may be contacted on 136992.

For information on the use of rainwater tanks please refer to the document “Guidance On The Use Of Rainwater Tanks”, which is available via an internet search or by accessing the following link: Rain Water Tanks

Noise

There are three primary sources of legislation giving Council the power to take action with regard to noise nuisance.

• Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994;

• Environmental Management and Pollution Control (Noise) Regulations 2016; and

• Local Government Act 1993

The majority of noise-generating equipment and appliances are addressed in the Environmental Management and Pollution Control (Noise) Regulations 2016.

These regulations apply to the operation of machinery and equipment; the operation of fixed equipment such as domestic heating equipment; the operation of motor vehicles and motor vessels; the hours of use for things such as power tools, machinery and equipment, musical instruments or sound amplifying equipment, lawn mowers and chainsaws.

The following times are permitted for use of such equipment:

Lawnmowers and other power garden maintenance equipment –

Monday to Friday: 7am to 8pm Saturday: 9am to 8pm Sunday and Public Holidays: 10am to 8pm

Chainsaws (Note: May be used for domestic garden maintenance on only one day in any 7 consecutive days)

Monday to Friday: 7am to 6pm Saturday: 9am to 6pm Sunday and Public Holidays: 10am to 6pm

Musical instruments and sound amplifying equipment

Monday to Thursday: 7am to 10pm Friday: 7am to midnight Saturday: 9am to midnight Sunday and Public Holidays: 10am to 10pm

Motor vehicles, motor vessels & outboard motors (Unless moving in and out of premises) Monday to Friday: 7am to 6pm Saturday: 9am to 6pm Sunday and Public Holidays: 10am to 6pm

Portable apparatus (eg power and percussion tools, compressors, pumps, generators and cement mixers)

Monday to Friday: 7am to 6pm Saturday: 9am to 6pm Sunday and Public Holidays: 10am to 6pm

Mobile machinery, forklift trucks and industrial motor vehicles (eg tractors, graders, rollers & cranes)

Monday to Friday: 7am to 6pm Saturday: 8am to 6pm Sunday and Public Holidays: 10am to 6pm

The Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 deals with the emission of pollutants, which may cause environmental harm, one of which is energy which includes noise. This is a wide reaching and powerful Act that may be applied to industrial noise, farming activities and a range of environmental issues that have potential to affect the broader environment.

The Local Government Act 1993 deals with nuisances, the definition of which includes something that gives rise to unreasonable or excessive levels of noise or pollution. This is the legislation that would generally be used to manage a noise issue such as the squawking of birds.

For further information on noise regulation, please contact Council’s Environmental Health Officer on 6397 7303.

Abattoir – Odours
Contact the EPA Division’s Incident Response Hotline 1800 005 171, or email to incidentresponse@environment.tas.gov.au for complaints regarding nuisance odours from Abattoirs.

Although some smaller abattoirs are regulated by Local Council, not the EPA.

Backyard Burning
Contact Council on 6397 7303 (and/or Police Tasmania after hours) for complaints regarding nuisance smoke from backyard burns.

Food processing plants– Odours
Contact the EPA Division’s Incident Response Hotline 1800 005 171, or email to incidentresponse@environment.tas.gov.au for complaints regarding nuisance odours from food processing plants.

Forestry associated burns
Contact the EPA Division’s Incident Response Hotline 1800 005 171, or email to incidentresponse@environment.tas.gov.au.

The EPA has implemented a number of measures to assist planned burners to improve smoke management. Information about the management of smoke from planned burns is available here.

Industrial premises – heavy
(e.g. cement works, foundries, rendering plants, metallurgical works, mines, smelters large sawmills and quarries, tanneries)

Contact the EPA Division’s Incident Response Hotline 1800 005 171, or email to incidentresponse@environment.tas.gov.au for complaints or notifications regarding smoke or odours from industrial premises.

Industrial premises - light
(e.g. motor garages and bodyworks, small sawmills and quarries, businesses)

Contact the council for complaints or notifications regarding smoke or odours from smaller industrial premises or businesses.

Motor vehicles
Contact the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources (phone 1300 135 513) for complaints regarding nuisance smoke from vehicles operating on public roads.

Planned burns – forestry, or other
Contact the EPA Division’s Incident Response Hotline 1800 005 171, or email to incidentresponse@environment.tas.gov.au.

Trains
Contact TasRail (phone 1300 827 724) for complaints relating to train-related pollution.

Tyre burning
If the fire is posing a threat to life, property or there is a risk of wildfire, call Emergency Services on 000.

Otherwise, Contact the EPA Division’s Incident Response Hotline 1800 005 171

Tyres are controlled wastes. Burning tyres is prohibited under the Environmental Management and Pollution Control (Waste Management) Regulations 2010 and has serious health and air quality impacts. There are penalties associated with the illegal use, storage and burning of tyres.

Waste disposal sites
Contact the EPA Division’s Incident Response Hotline 1800 005 171, or email to incidentresponse@environment.tas.gov.au for complaints or notifications regarding smoke or odours from waste disposal sites.

Waste transfer stations
Contact the Council for complaints or notifications regarding smoke or odours from waste transfer stations.

Wastewater treatment plants
Contact the EPA Division’s Incident Response Hotline 1800 005 171, or email to incidentresponse@environment.tas.gov.au for complaints or notifications regarding odours from wastewater treatment plants.

The EPA must also be notified of any environmental harm or nuisance issues from wastewater treatment plants. This includes sewage spills, or odour, which might interfere with a person’s enjoyment of the environment.

Note that for nuisance complaints regarding pump stations, sewage reticulation, or smaller "on-site" sewage systems contact the Environmental Health Officer at the Council.

Woodheaters
Contact Council for complaints regarding nuisance smoke from wood heaters or other domestic burners.

For further information
Incident Response Officer
134 Macquarie Street
Hobart TAS 7000
Phone: 1800 005 171
Email: incidentresponse@environment.tas.gov.au

Businesses selling food must be registered with Council. A business selling low risk food that is not considered potentially hazardous, must notify the Council by completing the following forms, but may not require registration.

Application forms can be downloaded below or can be obtained from the Council at 13 Smith Street, Longford.

Food Business - Notification of a Food Business Form and Food Premises Application Form.

A Council Environmental Health Officer will inspect the food business prior to issuing the registration.

Council’s fee for food business registration is determined by classifying the business according to the risk that the type of food sold presents to public health and safety. There are three levels of risk, High, Medium and Low. Most food businesses are classified as Medium Risk.

Please click here view the current fees.

If you would like to discuss the registration of a food business and matters relating to the safe handling of food please contact a Northern Midlands Council Environmental Health Officer on (03) 63977303.

Detailed information relating to national food safety standards can be found at the following link.

The sale of food at established markets is subject to the requirements of the Food Act 2003 and the Food Safety Standards, including the requirement to be registered with the local authority (local Council).

Some of these requirements and conditions for sale of food are set out below for your convenience:

Sale of Foods That Are Not Potentially Hazardous - Not Prepared at the Market
This category includes foods such as confectionery, unfilled cakes, biscuits, loaves and similar foods that are not considered potentially hazardous. These foods may be sold from open stalls on the following conditions:

• all foods must be prepared in a premises approved by the council in which the premises is located, in accordance with safe food handling practices;
• application must be made to Council for a Temporary Food Licence;
• all foods must be prepared, packaged and labelled in accordance with the requirements of the Food Act 2003;
• all foods must be a minimum of 500 mm above ground level and protected from direct sunlight.

Sale of Potentially Hazardous Foods Not Prepared at the Market
This category includes foods such as cream cakes, sandwiches, quiches, milk, cheese, meat products and any other foods that must be stored under controlled temperature conditions.

• these foods may be sold on the same conditions as for non-perishable foods, provided that:
• foods are kept in refrigerated storage at or below 5^oC (eskies are not suitable for long term storage).
• frozen food is kept in a frozen solid state until sold.

Foods intended to be consumed hot, are kept in a food heater (e.g. pie oven) at a temperature of not less than 60^oC until sold.

Sale of Fruit and Vegetables
All fruit and vegetables must be protected from contamination and shall be kept not less than 500mm above ground level.

Sale of Food Prepared in Food Vans (mobile food vehicles) On-Site at the Market
These foods may be sold from registered mobile food businesses only, which must comply with the following conditions:

1. The driving section of the vehicle shall be separated and effectively sealed from the section used for storing or preparing food.
2. The section of the vehicle used for preparing food shall be designed so as to afford complete protection to all food from contamination such as dust and insects.
3. The floor, walls and ceiling shall be constructed internally of rigid, smooth-faced, impervious material with an unbroken surface, capable of being easily cleaned and kept in good repair. The intersection of the floor and walls shall be impervious and coved at a radius of not less than 25mm.
4. Food preparation benches, shelving, cupboards and the like shall be constructed of a rigid, smooth-faced, impervious material that is free from open joints and cracks and is suitable for the purpose.
5. Cavities, false bottoms and similar hollow spaces capable of harbouring vermin, are not permitted to be formed in the construction of cupboards and other fixtures.
6. Benches, shelving, cupboards and the like shall be supported on metal legs not less than 200mm high.
7. The ends of hollow metal sections shall be sealed.
8. Shelving and other projections are not permitted above food preparation benches.
9. A sink shall be provided in the vehicle together with cold water and hot water for cleaning appliances & equipment.
10. Where eating and drinking utensils and vessels are reused, a double bowl sink or approved dishwasher shall be installed. (Hot water at a temperature of not less than 80^oCelsius, shall be provided over one of the bowls).
11. In addition, a hand washing basin supplied with warm running water (mixer tap) shall be installed in the vehicle.
12. The waste water outlets from the sink and wash hand basin shall be fitted with sanitary traps.
13. An approved tank shall be installed external to the vehicle for the receiving of waste water from the sink and wash hand basin and be vented in an approved manner.
14. Walls and benches likely to be soiled or damaged by cooking fumes, grease and heat shall be protected by stainless steel sheeting or other approved material.
15. Where cooking or extensive heating processes are carried out an approved mechanical ventilation system will be required to be installed.
16. Sufficient facilities shall be provided to maintain perishable food at suitable temperatures.
17. Artificial lighting shall be installed to provide a minimum lighting value of 300 lux to work surfaces.

Compliance With Above Conditions
Food vans and stalls that do not meet the required standard will not be allowed to operate from established markets.

Guidelines for Temporary Food Stalls

PLEASE NOTE: completed form and payment MUST be received by Council a minimum of 7 days before event to allow for processing.

Please click here to download the application form for
Registration of a Temporary Food Business

Please click here to view the current fees.

If you provide untreated water to the public you must complete the following form.

Application for Registration as a User or Supplier of Water from a Private Water Source

If you have questions regarding your application, please contact an Environmental Health Officer at the Northern Midlands Council on (03) 6397 7303.