Waste Collection Lambeth Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Waste Collection Lambeth collects, uses, stores and protects personal data relating to our customers. It applies to all Waste Collection Lambeth customers receiving waste collection and related services within the Lambeth area. We are committed to handling your personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Who we are and how to contact us

Waste Collection Lambeth is the controller of the personal data we collect about you in connection with our services. This means we determine the purposes and means of processing your personal data. If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or about how we use your personal data, you can contact us using the details provided on our main customer communications.

Types of personal data we collect

We collect and process different types of personal data depending on how you interact with us and the services you use. This may include:

Identification and contact data such as name, address, property type, email address, telephone number and account reference numbers.

Service and usage data such as collection address, bin types and sizes, waste collection schedules, records of collections, missed collection reports, contamination notices, special or bulky waste requests and records of any additional services requested by you.

Communication data such as enquiries, complaints, feedback, call notes, emails and correspondence with our customer service teams.

Technical and device data where you access our online services, which may include IP address, device identifiers, browser type and approximate location data as derived from your device or network connection.

Financial data where necessary for paid services such as paid-for collections or commercial contracts, which may include payment records and billing information. We do not store full payment card details when online payment processors are used.

How we collect your personal data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you register for a service, contact us by phone, email or online forms, create or use an online account, request changes to your service, participate in surveys, or submit complaints or enquiries.

We may also receive data from local authority records, property databases and other official sources relating to your property or business in order to administer waste collection services in the Lambeth area. Where allowed by law, we may receive updates from third party service providers and partners who support our operations.

Purposes and lawful bases for processing

We process your personal data only where we have a lawful basis under data protection law. The main purposes and lawful bases are:

To provide and manage waste collection and related services to you. This includes setting up and managing your service, arranging collections, handling service requests and maintaining accurate service records. Our lawful basis is performance of a contract or taking steps at your request before entering into a contract.

To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations. This includes environmental and waste management laws, local government requirements and record keeping obligations. Our lawful basis is compliance with a legal obligation.

To communicate with you about your service. This includes service updates, changes to schedules, important notices and responses to your questions or complaints. Our lawful basis is performance of a contract or our legitimate interests in maintaining good customer service and managing our operations.

To improve and develop our services. This includes analysing service usage, monitoring performance, planning routes and resources, and improving customer experience. Our lawful basis is our legitimate interests in running and improving an efficient waste collection service, balanced against your privacy rights.

To send you information about related services. Where permitted by law, we may contact you with information about related waste and recycling services that may be of interest. We will rely on either your consent or our legitimate interests, depending on the type of communication and your relationship with us. You can opt out of such communications at any time.

To protect our rights, property and safety. This includes preventing and detecting fraud or misuse of services, managing disputes and establishing, exercising or defending legal claims. Our lawful basis is our legitimate interests and, where relevant, the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

Data sharing and processors

We do not sell your personal data. We may share your data with carefully selected third parties where necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy and where we have a lawful basis to do so.

We may share data with service providers acting as processors on our behalf, such as IT system providers, cloud hosting services, customer contact centres, payment processors, waste transfer and disposal partners, and consultants supporting route planning, analytics or service improvements. These processors are only permitted to process your data in accordance with our instructions and must implement appropriate security measures.

We may share data with public authorities, regulators, law enforcement or other governmental bodies where required by law or where necessary to protect our rights or the rights of others.

Where data is transferred outside the United Kingdom or European Economic Area, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations or standard contractual clauses, in line with data protection requirements.

Data retention

We keep your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected and to meet legal, accounting or reporting requirements.

Customer account and service records are usually kept for the duration of your service relationship with us and for a defined period afterwards, typically up to six years, to deal with queries, disputes or legal obligations. Some records may be kept for longer where the law requires, for example in relation to environmental or financial regulations.

Where personal data is no longer needed, it will be securely deleted, anonymised or archived so that it is kept only for legal or historical purposes and no longer used for active processing.

How we protect your data

We take the security of your personal data seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to prevent unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction or damage. These measures include access controls, staff training, secure storage, encryption where appropriate and regular reviews of our security practices.

Only personnel and processors who need access to your data for the performance of their duties are permitted to process it, and they are subject to confidentiality obligations.

Your data protection rights

As a Waste Collection Lambeth customer in the Lambeth area, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data, subject to certain conditions and exemptions under data protection law.

You have the right to be informed about how your data is used, which is the purpose of this Privacy Policy.

You have the right of access to obtain confirmation of whether we process your personal data and, if so, to receive a copy and certain information about how it is used.

You have the right to rectification of inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you.

You have the right to erasure in certain circumstances, for example where the data is no longer needed for the purposes for which it was collected or where you withdraw consent and there is no other lawful basis for processing.

You have the right to restriction of processing in certain situations, such as where you contest the accuracy of your data or object to its processing.

You have the right to data portability in relation to certain data you have provided to us, where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.

You have the right to object to processing based on our legitimate interests or for direct marketing. Where you object, we will stop processing your data for those purposes unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds or where processing is required for legal claims.

Where we rely on your consent to process personal data, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

How to exercise your rights or make a complaint

If you wish to exercise any of your data protection rights or have questions about this Privacy Policy, you can contact us using the details provided in our customer correspondence and service documentation. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.

If you are not satisfied with our response or believe that your data protection rights have been infringed, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner in the United Kingdom or with your local supervisory authority if you are based elsewhere.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations or how we process personal data. Any changes will apply to all Waste Collection Lambeth customers in the Lambeth area from the date of publication. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we use and protect your personal data.