If you notice any activity causing environmental damage or environmental pollution, you should directly contact the cause of the damage or the party in whose area the damage occurs. For example, it is advisable to give feedback on a dusty or noisy construction site directly to the construction site or on a housing company's littered yard to the housing company in question.
If contacting the party causing the damage does not correct the situation, you can report the environmental damage to the city using the feedback form.
The notification may concern, for example
- noise
- discharges to waterways or land
- smoke pollution
- dust from a construction site
- littering.
Please include the following information in the hazard report:
- the name and contact details of the person submitting the report
- the place where the hazard was caused
- a description of the hazard and its possible cause
- what actions are requested in response to the hazard
- which other parties have been informed of the hazard.
The more accurately you describe the damage, its cause and location, the better we are able to look into the matter. If possible, please attach a photo or audio recording of the damage or pollution. When it comes to environmental monitoring, we usually do not look into anonymous reports. If the provided information is insufficient and the report does not include the contact details of the person who submitted it so that they can be asked for more information, we cannot start an investigation.
If your report requires processing by an environmental protection authority, we will direct it to environmental monitoring. If the report concerns the City's own operations, we will direct the report to the City unit responsible for the operations.
As a rule, reports submitted to environmental monitoring are processed in the order of arrival, and the need for processing is always considered on a case-by-case basis. In the event of an evidently unfounded report, we may charge a fee in accordance with the environmental protection authority's fee.
Report environmental damage
Please use the feedback form to report an environmental hazard. Please note that it may take a few days for feedback to reach the Environmental Monitoring and Supervision Unit. If the hazard requires a faster response, do not use the feedback form, but instead send an email to kymp.ymparistovalvonta@hel.fi.
Use the online service
Submit a report about environmental damage
What to do if your environment or health is at risk
- If the environmental damage requires rapid control measures, for example, due to environmental pollution or damage to health in the case of an environmental accident, report the matter to the Emergency Response Centre at 112.
- If possible, prevent the spread of environmentally harmful substances into the environment.
- If possible, report the environmental damage to the owner of the property or plot of land in whose area the damage occurred.
If you suspect an environmental crime, report it to the police
If the environmental damage is caused by intentional or negligent action, it may be an environmental crime. Report such activity to the police. The most common environmental crimes are the dumping of waste, the damaging of protected animals or plants, and various unauthorised discharges into the environment.
Read more about environmental crimes on the police website (Link leads to external service)