Environment protection, recycling and waste

The Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA) is responsible for environmental impact assessments in the NT. 

The assessments look closely at proposed developments that may cause significant environmental impact.

Environmental impact assessment projects are published on the NT EPA website. 

You can participate in the assessment process by commenting in writing. 

For more information on environmental impact assessments and for a list of current projects go to the NT EPA website.

For information on federal environmental impact assessments go to the Australian Government's Department of the Environment website.

If an activity risks causing environmental impact, the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA) can put in place one of the following:

• performance agreement
• compliance plan
• pollution abatement notice.

Performance agreements

The NT EPA can enter into a performance agreement with a person to make sure an activity protects, restores or improves the environment.

It may also aim to improve waste management or to stop, reduce, control, fix or clean up pollution or environmental harm resulting from pollution.

This agreement is a contract with the NT government.

Read more about performance agreements on the NT EPA website.

Compliance plans

A compliance plan is a staged approach to improve a project so that it reaches an environmental protection standard.

A compliance plan may be needed if you are causing pollution.

Compliance plans must be approved by the NT EPA and can be any of the following:

• voluntary
• recommended by the NT EPA
• ordered by the court.

Read more about compliance plans on the NT EPA website.

You may be given a direction to stop pollution, a pollution abatement notice, or a notice to carry out an environmental audit if either:

• the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA) believes on reasonable grounds that you have committed or may commit a general environmental offence, or you have failed to follow a general environmental duty
• you are the owner or occupier of land that is polluted.

All pollution abatement notices are listed on the NT EPA website.

A notice to carry out an environmental audit can be issued to do any of the following:

• manage waste
• remediate contamination
• measure your compliance with environmental law.

Read more on environment performance agreements and compliance plans.

Northern Territory (NT) retailers must not give out lightweight, checkout-style plastic bags, including degradable bags.

The NT plastic bag ban began on 1 September 2011.

Environmentally friendly bags are available at shops, but you may have to pay for them. You should take your own bags to shop with.

All of the following bags can still be used:

• green bags - keep clean and reuse over 100 times
• biodegradable or compostable bags
• heavy retail bags
• paper bags
• barrier bags for fruit and vegetables.

Read more on the plastic bag ban on the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority website. This site has information for retailers, about environmental impacts, and bag alternatives.

To report pollution you should call the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA) pollution hotline.

You have a duty to report incidents causing or threatening to cause pollution.

The pollution hotline is a free 24-hour phone service. Call 1800 064 567.

For an emergency or life threatening situation call the NT police, fire and emergency services on 000.

What you can report 

Pollution incidents are urgent or non-urgent as listed below.

Urgent incidents

Call the pollution hotline on 1800 064 567 to report urgent major pollution incidents such as any of the following:

• significant illegal dumping 
• marine and inland water oil spills 
• fish kills.

Non-urgent incidents

For non-urgent incidents you can contact the pollution hotline by email, phone or post:

pollution@nt.gov.au
Phone: 1800 064 567
GPO Box 3675
Darwin NT 0801

Non-urgent environmental pollution problems and complaints include any of the following:

• construction noise affecting you in your home
• offensive odours from industry
• algal blooms
• unreasonable dust
• inadequate storage or handling of waste
• visible sheens or discolour of waterways
• contaminated sites.

You can report non-compliance for holders of waste discharge licences, environment protection licences and environment protection approvals.

Read more about environment approvals and licences.

Stay anonymous

You can stay anonymous, but leaving out contact information can restrict the NT EPA's investigation if more information is needed. 

This will also stop the NT EPA giving you the results of the investigation.

Go to the NT EPA website for more information and for a list of other agencies that can help you with common complaints.

The Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA) has waste and pollution guidelines and standards.

These provide general information on waste and pollution.

Standards and guidelines are policy documents that identify minimum expectations by the NT EPA.

You should follow these standards and you are encouraged to do better than the minimum.

For more information on waste and pollution publications go to the NT EPA website.

Biosecurity protects the Northern Territory (NT) from serious damage by pests, diseases and weeds.

Important industries in the NT such as cattle, seafood, horticulture and tourism are all vulnerable to biosecurity threats.

Report a threat

You can play an important role to manage biosecurity threats in the NT by reporting anything suspicious to the biosecurity hotline on 1800 084 881.

If you see something that could have entered Australia with imported goods, and you think it may be a biosecurity concern, report it.

If you see unusual pests, including invasive animals and weeds, report it.

If you're involved in activities where waste will come into contact with water, you must get a waste discharge licence (WDL).

This includes work related to:

• sewage or wastewater treatment
• mining
• dredged material (spoil) disposal.

WDLs are required where an activity could affect a declared beneficial use of a water resource under the Water Act 1992.

See the list of declared beneficial uses.

WDLs regulate the quality and quantity of waste discharged to water in the Northern Territory (NT).

The Controller of Water Resources can issue a WDL under the Water Act 1992.

How long it takes

It can take up to 60 business days for your application to be processed.

Timeframes may vary based on the information provided and the complexity of your application.

How to apply

To apply, follows these steps:

Step 1. Read the waste discharge licensing guidelines.

Waste discharge licensing guidelines PDF (394.6 KB)

Step 2. Fill in the relevant application.

New waste discharge licence application PDF (250.9 KB)
New waste discharge licence application DOCX (80.1 KB)

Renew a waste discharge licence application PDF (206.1 KB)
Renew a waste discharge licence application DOCX (73.6 KB)

Amend a waste discharge licence application PDF (202.1 KB)
Amend a waste discharge licence application DOCX (72.1 KB)

Transfer of a waste discharge licence notification DOCX (67.2 KB)
Transfer of a waste discharge licence notification PDF (142.5 KB)

Surrender of a waste discharge licence notification PDF (152.6 KB)
Surrender of a waste discharge licence notification DOCX (64.7 KB)

Step 3. Attach your supporting documents.

Step 4. Submit your completed form to environmentalregulation@nt.gov.au.

After you apply

Once a licence is issued, it is published in the licences and approvals register. To view the register, go to the NT Environment Protection Authority (NTEPA) website.

Reporting requirements

Licences contain conditions that require you to report certain things to the department including:

• annual returns
• notification of non-compliances with conditions
• notification of exceedance of trigger values.

Get the annual return form DOCX (69.5 KB).

Contact

Email environmentalregulation@nt.gov.au or call 08 8924 4218.

If you are a contractor wanting to dispose of septage or grease trap waste, there are rules you must follow.

Septage is the waste material from a septic tank.

To dispose of septage or grease trap waste, you must:

• be trained and have the right equipment
• have approval or a licence from the NT Environment Protection Authority if you are paid for this work.

How to apply

Find out how to apply for an approval or a licence to dispose of waste.

How to transport waste

You must take all reasonable steps to prevent or minimise pollution or environmental harm when you:

• collect
• store
• transport septage and grease trap waste.

You can transfer the waste into a vacuum tanker for transport to an authorised treatment or waste disposal facility.

You can also transfer the waste into intermediate bulk containers.

Where you can dispose of waste

You are not allowed to dump septage and grease trap waste on Crown land.

Options for disposal are listed below.

Regional trade waste management facility

You can transport septage and grease trap waste for a fee to the following regional trade waste facilities:

• Palmerston waste stabilisation ponds
• Katherine and Tennant Creek waste stabilisation ponds
• Alice Springs waste stabilisation ponds or
• Alice Springs landfill for grease trap waste disposal.

You can't transport waste to stabilisation ponds in remote communities.

Regional council landfill

If you can't take your waste to a regional trade waste management facility, contact your nearest your council.

You will need to ask permission to dispose of your waste at their landfill.

If you can't take waste to a facility or council landfill

You may be able to dispose of your waste on private property in a remote area.

You must do the following:

• get permission from the property owner including land councils and Traditional Owners
• advise the property owner of the source, type and quality of waste
• advise the property owner of how you intend to dispose of the waste and how the disposal area will be protected
• contact the NT EPA to check if you need authorisation.

How to dispose of waste on private property in a remote area

If you have permission to dispose of waste on a private property in a remote area you must ensure the disposal trenches are:

• big enough to contain the amount of waste that needs disposing
• away from people and stock
• recorded using GPS coordinates or a Google Maps reference
• not going to cause a public health or environmental nuisance
• not going to become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

You must cover the waste with at least 150mm of soil depending on the amount you have.

The trench must be at least:

• 1000m from a public or domestic water supply, dam, well, bore, or reservoir
• 500m from a stream or water course
• 250m from a growing vegetable garden or flowering fruit tree.