The NSW Opposition says documents revealing harmful spills of pollutants should be publicly available.

Health, safety and corporate responsibility are all hampered by the secrecy around pollution breaches, the NSW Nature Conservation Council says.

The green group says it has obtained documents under Freedom of Information which show Port Waratah Coal Services breached its pollution limits 75 times in 3 years at its two Newcastle coal terminals.

The same firm currently has plans before the NSW Planning Assessment Commission to build another coal loader.

But Shadow Environment Minister Luke Foley has told the ABC that locals would want to provide input on the plan with full understanding of the company’s history.

Foley says the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is not doing enough, and that all breaches and actions taken should be reported.

“The sheer number of breaches of their pollution licence that have come to light - that's new information that we haven't heard from the company - and I do think the Planning Assessment Commission will need to take those issues into account when considering the application for a fourth coal terminal,” he said.

“The community has a right to know about the performance of polluting industries particularly when those industries are located very close to residential neighbourhoods.

“I think the Environmental Protection Agency in NSW has a way to go to lift its performance.”