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🏠HousingUpdated: May 2026

👃 Stench or bad odour — who do I report to?

Direct answer

Tackling stench depends on source: (1) Neighbour wood stove or compost: first talk, then Beterburen 020-723 5360. Wood smoke check at Stookwijzer.nu (RIVM). (2) Business, factory or megastall: Environmental Complaints Centre 073 681 28 21 (24/7) or provincial equivalent. (3) Amsterdam city: 14 020 or meldingen.amsterdam.nl. (4) Document: date, time, wind direction, intensity. More reports = faster enforcement. (5) Evidence build: city can require air-quality measurement from business. Businesses must comply with environmental law.

Business 24/7
073 681 28 21
Neighbour
Beterburen mediation
Wood smoke
Stookwijzer.nu

Step by step

  1. 1
    Talk to source
    Neighbour wood stove or compost: friendly chat often works. Ask if burning can be adjusted.
  2. 2
    Document the nuisance
    Log: date, time, wind direction, intensity (1-10), duration. Smoke photos help. Min 2 weeks systematic.
  3. 3
    Report to city
    Amsterdam: meldingen.amsterdam.nl or 14 020. Outside Amsterdam: 14 + area code.
  4. 4
    Environmental Centre for business
    Industrial stench: 073 681 28 21 (24/7, Noord-Brabant; similar numbers per province).
  5. 5
    Follow up
    Get report number, ask later about handling. No action within 4 wks: National Ombudsman or admin court.

All contacts

Gemeente Amsterdam MeldingenStench public space + businesses
First step
📞 14 020🔗 meldingen.amsterdam.nl
MilieuklachtenCentraleIndustrial + agricultural 24/7
For businesses specifically
📞 073 681 28 21🔗 milieuklachtencentrale.nl
RIVM StookwijzerDaily wood-smoke advice
For wood-smoke nuisance
🔗 stookwijzer.nu
BeterburenMediation with neighbour stench
For neighbour conflict
📞 020-723 5360🔗 beterburen.nl
Omgevingsdienst Noord-HollandEnvironmental enforcement region
After insufficient city action
📞 023-553 0300🔗 odnzkg.nl

Frequently asked questions

What if the stench is wood smoke?

Specific RIVM Stookwijzer + Beterburen + GGD route. See our wood-smoke scenario for detail.

Can I report anonymously?

Yes, at Environmental Complaints Centre + Meld Misdaad Anoniem. At city: often name required, but not shared with source.

Same rules for agriculture?

Yes, megastalls + intensive farming must comply with environmental rules. Environmental dept enforces. Complaints: province or national hotline.

Sources

🔎 Common search queries

Recognise your own search? Our answer above covers all of these variants.

  • “stench complaint Netherlands”
  • “MilieuklachtenCentrale 24/7”
  • “wood smoke neighbor health”
  • “industrial smell who to call”
  • “farm stench report environmental dept”

Related questions

🪵Wood-smoke nuisance→🐀Reporting pests→🗑️Illegal dumping→
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