Reporting environmental pollution

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Reporting environmental pollution

Using the button above, you can report dumping of illegal waste and other environmental complaints caused by individuals. Read below ('incidents caused by a company') which route to follow if it is not an individual but a company.

To protect the Netherlands from the effects of climate change, the law requires everyone to comply with environmental regulations. The municipality, police and other organizations monitor this. Your reports help with this, so report it if you see in your area that a person or company is polluting the environment. 

Emergency notification

The police are first responders to emergency reports: 

  • drug dumping, chemical (drug) waste in jerry cans or drums;
  • public order, nuisance from loitering youths;
  • nuisance when fireworks are set off by individuals. 

 Report it through the emergency room and call 0900-8844 or 112 (available 24 hours a day). 

Incidents caused by a company

Are you experiencing environmental nuisances caused by a business? Or do you see that something is wrong with the environment? Then make a report to the Environmental Complaints Central through the Omgevingsdienst Zuidoost Brabant. Environmental complaints are about noise, odor, light, soot, soil or air pollution, for example. The environmental service then checks whether the company complies with environmental regulations. If necessary, the cause and consequences are investigated on site.

Illegal waste 

If illegal waste is dumped in public areas, please report this preferably online.
If this is not possible, call the municipality via the customer contact center: 040 - 263 16 31. 

Environmental complaints without urgency 

Do you have an environmental complaint that is not caused by a company, is not urgent and does not involve dumping illegal waste? Then you can report this to the municipality, preferably online and otherwise by calling the customer contact center: 0499 - 491 491. An environmental officer will then pick up the report. 

Municipal duties environmental pollution 

The municipality must protect the environment in its territory. For this purpose, the municipality has supervisors.
These supervisors:

  • checking that everyone is following the rules, 
  • give and collect the necessary information, 
  • may enter businesses and other places (except homes), 
  • may view documents and make copies, 
  • taking samples and examining stuff, 
  • stop and examine vehicles. 

By law, everyone must give full cooperation to the supervisor. A supervisor may request assistance from the police. 

Environmental notification process 

The supervisor first tries to make arrangements with the offender who is breaking the rules. If this fails, the municipality can do a number of things:

  • Revoke all or part of the environmental permit or exemption, 
  • eliminate the undesirable situation, 
  • close all or part of the business, 
  • fine.

The municipality, like the police, can also take criminal action. The municipality does this together with the public prosecutor's office (OM). For example:

  • official report, 
  • give a warning, 
  • reach a settlement where the offender pays, 
  • occupy something, 
  • prosecution and sentencing to a fine or imprisonment. 

Damages

  • You can seek compensation from the person responsible for the damage you suffered.
  • If you can't work it out together, you can file a request for compensation in court.