Simpler recycling privacy notice
Published 9 June 2025
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2025
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/simpler-recycling-privacy-notice/simpler-recycling-privacy-notice
This privacy notice explains how we will process personal data when reporting non-compliance with the simpler recycling requirements for businesses and non-domestic premises in England.
Controller and Data Protection Officer contact details
The Environment Agency is the controller for the personal data we process under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018). Our contact details are available on GOV.UK.
Our personal information charter explains:
- how to contact our Data Protection Officer
- what we do with your personal information (personal data) in general
- your rights and how to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office
Why we may process your personal data
Our purpose for processing your personal data is to log reports of non-compliance with the simpler recycling requirements and be able to obtain further information, if necessary, to complete a compliance assessment. We are allowed to process personal information because we have official authority as the environmental regulator.
The lawful basis we rely on to process your personal data is article 6(1)(e) of the UK GDPR, which allows us to process personal data when this is necessary to perform our public tasks as a regulator
What personal data we process and how we use it
We collect personal data from you directly if you decide to provide it using the online reporting form. This can include one or both of your name and email address. You may also choose to include further personal data such as a phone number in the further information section, but it is not a requirement to do so.
We may also indirectly obtain personal data of other data subjects in the further information section or during further communications during a compliance activity. This may include data relating to individuals associated with the business or non-domestic premises who is alleged to be non-compliant or of other organisations. For example, neighbouring businesses, waste collectors or waste brokers.
This could include:
- names of individuals
- phone numbers
- email addresses
- residential addresses where businesses are based at a domestic dwelling
We use your personal data to:
- contact you (the reporter) for further information if required
- keep a log of non-compliance reports
- assess the report of non-compliance using any additional information obtained from contacting you
We will not share or disclose your personal information to any other party without your consent unless we are lawfully able to do so.
Where your personal information is stored and processed
We store and process your personal data on our servers in the UK.
How long we keep your personal data
We keep your personal data for 7 years following the closure of an investigation.
Changes to this notice
Any changes to this privacy notice will apply to you and your data immediately.
If these changes affect how your personal data is processed, we will take reasonable steps to let you know.