How We Look After Your Personal Information
councilbincollection.org/ takes data protection seriously. This page sets out what we collect, why, the legal bases under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and the rights you can exercise — including how to complain to the ICO.
What’s on this page
1. Who We Are
councilbincollection.org/ is an independent editorial reference site that publishes guides to UK council bin collections, recycling rules and related local-authority waste services. We are the data controller for the personal information described on this page within the meaning of the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
For any data-protection question, contact us at info@councilbincollection.org with the subject line “Data protection request” and we will respond within the time limits below.
2. The Personal Information We Collect
We aim to collect the minimum personal information needed to operate the site and respond to messages:
| Category | Examples | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identifiers | Email address, name (if you give one), IP address | You · Your browser, automatically |
| Contact content | The text of any message you send us | You — when you email or use a contact form |
| Site usage | Pages visited, time on page, referring URL, search terms used on the site | Cookies and analytics, with your consent |
| Device and technical data | Browser, device type, operating system, approximate location from IP | Your browser, automatically |
| Advertising identifiers | Identifiers used to limit ad frequency and measure ad performance | Third-party advertising networks, with your consent |
We do not collect special category personal data within the meaning of UK GDPR Article 9 — no data on race or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade-union membership, genetic data, biometric data, health, sex life or sexual orientation. We do not ask for it and you should not send it through our contact channel.
3. How We Collect Personal Information
- Directly from you — when you email us, complete a contact form or set cookie preferences.
- Automatically — when you visit the site, your browser sends standard technical information so the page can load.
- From third-party services — analytics and advertising providers, but only after you have given consent through our cookie banner where consent is required by PECR.
4. Lawful Bases Under UK GDPR
UK GDPR Article 6 requires a lawful basis for every category of processing. The bases we rely on are:
| Purpose | Lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Operating the site, security, fraud prevention | Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)) — the legitimate interests are running an informational website and protecting it from abuse |
| Responding to questions, corrections and feedback | Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)) |
| Analytics cookies and similar measurement | Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)) — given through the cookie banner |
| Advertising cookies and ad-frequency measurement | Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)) |
| Compliance with legal obligations and lawful requests | Legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c)) |
We do not use personal data for automated decision-making with legal or similarly significant effects within the meaning of UK GDPR Article 22.
6. Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small text files placed on your device. Some are needed for the site to work (strictly necessary) and don’t require consent under PECR; others (analytics, advertising) are only set after you give consent through our cookie banner. You can change your choice at any time through the “Cookie settings” link in the footer.
For full detail — including the cookies used, their durations, third-party services, and how to manage them at browser level — see our Cookie Policy.
7. How Long We Keep Personal Information
| Category | Retention |
|---|---|
| Email correspondence and contact-form messages | Up to 24 months from last contact, then deleted unless an active matter requires longer retention |
| Server access logs (IP, request data) | Up to 90 days, then aggregated or deleted |
| Analytics data | Aggregated; identifiable data retained no longer than 14 months |
| Cookie consent records | 12 months from when you set your preference |
| Backups | Rotating backups deleted on a 30–90 day cycle |
8. Your Rights Under UK GDPR
UK GDPR gives you the following rights over your personal information:
Right of access
To get a copy of personal data we hold about you and information about how we use it.
Right to rectification
To correct personal data that is inaccurate or incomplete.
Right to erasure
To ask us to delete personal data, subject to legal exceptions.
Right to restriction
To restrict our processing in defined circumstances.
Right to portability
To receive personal data you provided in a structured, commonly used format.
Right to object
To object to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent
Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time without affecting prior lawful processing.
Right to complain to the ICO
Without affecting any other rights — see Section 13.
9. How to Exercise Your Rights
For all data-protection requests, email info@councilbincollection.org with the subject line “Data subject request.” Tell us which right you are exercising and include enough information for us to identify the data you are asking about.
We respond within one calendar month as required by UK GDPR Article 12. The period can be extended by a further two months for complex or numerous requests; if we extend, we will tell you within the first month and explain why. Most requests are free; we may charge a reasonable administrative fee for clearly excessive or repetitive requests, or refuse to act on them.
To protect your data we may need to verify your identity before responding — most often by confirming you control the email address that submitted the request. UK GDPR Article 12 permits this where there are reasonable doubts as to the requester’s identity.
10. Children
This site is not directed at children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 within the meaning of the UK Age-Appropriate Design Code. If we learn that we have collected personal data from a child under 13 without verifiable parental consent, we will delete it without delay.
11. Security
We apply technical and organisational measures appropriate to the risk, including encryption of data in transit (HTTPS across the site), access controls on administrative tools, regular software updates, secure authentication for our editorial team, and contractual security commitments from our vendors. No internet service is absolutely secure; if we become aware of a breach involving your personal data, we will notify you and the ICO consistent with UK GDPR Article 33-34 where required.
12. International Transfers
Some of our processors are based outside the UK. Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we rely on UK GDPR Chapter V safeguards — specifically UK adequacy regulations where the receiving country is covered (such as the EEA), the UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA), or the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, alongside transfer risk assessments where appropriate.
13. Complaining to the ICO
If you are not satisfied with how we handle your personal data, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection. We would prefer the chance to address your concern first, but you may complain to the ICO directly without needing to ask us first.
| ICO contact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Address | Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF |
| Helpline | 0303 123 1113 |
| Online | ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint |
14. Changes to This Policy
We update this policy when our practices change or when applicable law changes. The “Last reviewed” date at the top reflects the current version. Substantive changes are flagged on the homepage banner for at least 30 days. This policy is read alongside our Cookie Policy, Terms of Service and Disclaimer.
Questions About Your Personal Information?
Email us. General data-protection questions get a response within seven working days; formal data-subject requests get a response within one month.
📧 info@councilbincollection.org