Guidance

Digital waste tracking helpdesk: privacy notice

Published 2 February 2026

This privacy notice explains how the digital waste tracking helpdesk will use and manage your personal data. If you have any queries about the content of this privacy notice, email wastetracking@defra.gov.uk. 

Who collects your personal data 

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the controller for the personal data we collect. 

If you need further information about how Defra uses your personal data and your associated rights, you can contact the Defra data protection manager at data.protection@defra.gov.uk. 

The data protection officer for Defra is responsible for checking that Defra complies with legislation. You can contact them at defragroupdataprotectionofficer@defra.gov.uk. 

What personal data we collect and how it is used 

We may collect:

• your name
• contact details
• details of your enquiry

We collect your personal data to identify you, manage your enquiry and contact you in relation to your enquiry. 

Lawful basis for processing your personal data

The lawful basis for processing your personal data is consent.

Consent to process your personal data

The processing of your personal data is based on consent. You can withdraw consent at any time by emailing wastetracking@defra.gov.uk.

Who we share your personal data with

We may share the personal data collected under this privacy notice with our 4-nation government and agency partners in the digital waste tracking service to resolve your enquiry when required.  These are:

• Environment Agency (EA)
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
• Natural Resources Wales (NRW)
• Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA)
• Welsh Government
• Scottish Government
• Northern Ireland Government

We respect your personal privacy when responding to access to information requests. We only share information when necessary to meet the statutory requirements of the:

• Environmental Information Regulations 2004
• Freedom of Information Act 2000

How long we hold personal data

In most cases, we will keep your personal data for 3 years.

Once we have triaged your enquiry, Defra may hold your personal data for longer depending on the issue.

What happens if you do not provide the personal data

If you do not provide your personal data, we may not be able to manage your enquiry.

Use of automated decision-making or profiling

The personal data you provide is not used for:

• automated decision making (making a decision by automated means without any human involvement)
• profiling (automated processing of personal data to evaluate certain things about an individual)

Transfer of your personal data outside of the UK

We will only transfer your personal data to another country that is deemed adequate for data protection purposes.

Your rights

Based on the lawful processing above, your individual rights for consent are:

• the right to be informed
• the right of access
• the right to rectification
• the right to erasure
• the right to restrict processing
• the right to data portability
• rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling

Find more information about your individual rights under the:

• UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)
• Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018)

Complaints

You have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office at any time.

Personal information charter

Our personal information charter explains more about your rights over your personal data.