Recycling and Refuse Service Privacy Notice
This privacy notice sets out how Ashford Borough Council (“the Council”) Recycling and Refuse Service may collect, use and share your personal information.
Data Controller and Contact Details
The Data Controller is Ashford Borough Council.
The Council and its Data Protection Officer can be contacted at:
The Data Protection Officer
Ashford Borough Council
International House
Dover Place
Ashford
Kent
TN23 1HU
or via email: FOI@ashford.gov.uk.
The processing of personal data is governed, in the UK, by the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, together with any subsequent legislation. The supervisory authority is the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
The Council is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office with registration number Z8344724.
Processing Activities
The Council has a duty to collect household waste, includes general waste, recyclables, clinical, garden and bulky wastes. We charge directly for some of these services such as bulky waste and garden waste collections.
In order to provide a Recycling and Refuse Service and depending upon the nature of the service being offered it may be necessary for us to collect and hold personal information about you. The majority of the personal information we hold about you is provided by you in your application(s) for a waste service, such as a bulky waste collection, or from other contact you have with us. The information collected and held will vary and depend on the nature of the service being offered.
- general waste
- recycling
- food waste
- garden waste
- bulky household waste
- clinical waste
The Council also handles complaints, routine service requests, and general correspondence relating to waste and recycling services (for example, missed bin reports).
To provide these services, it may be necessary for the Council to collect and hold personal information about you. Most personal information is provided directly by you when you apply for, or contact the Council about, a waste service. The type of information collected will depend on the nature of the service being provided.
Personal Information We Collect
To fulfil its Recycling and Refuse functions, the Council may collect personal information including, but not limited to:
- name
- property address
- email address
- telephone number
- payment details
- evidence of waste contamination
Lawful Bases for Processing
The Council processes personal data under the following lawful bases:
- compliance with legal obligations, including duties under the Environmental Protection Act 1990;
- performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Council; and
- performance of a contract, where you have subscribed to a chargeable waste collection service (for example, garden or bulky waste collections).
Use of CCTV on Waste Collection Vehicles
The Council uses Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) systems fitted to waste and recycling collection vehicles.
CCTV footage may capture images of individuals, properties, and bins during collection rounds. The Council uses this footage for the following purposes:
- to promote the health and safety of collection operatives and members of the public;
- to support performance monitoring and service quality;
- to provide evidence of bin collection activities, including confirming whether a bin was presented, accessed, and collected; and
- to assist in the investigation of complaints, service requests, and health and safety incidents.
CCTV footage is only accessed by authorised staff and, where necessary, by the Council’s contracted waste collection service provider. Footage will not be used for purposes incompatible with those listed above and will be retained in accordance with the Council’s retention policies and legal obligations.
Data Processors
Where necessary, your personal data will be shared with the Council’s outsourced waste collection service provider to enable delivery of waste and recycling services.
Sharing of Personal Information
Your personal data may be shared with other departments within the Council where this is necessary for:
- improving services;
- keeping records accurate and up to date; and
- protecting the public purse and preventing fraud.
Retention of Personal Information
The Council will only retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including meeting legal, accounting, and reporting requirements.
When determining retention periods, the Council considers the nature, sensitivity, and volume of personal data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure, the purposes of processing, and applicable legal requirements.
How We Protect Your Data
The Council has appropriate technical and organisational measures in place to protect personal data from unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure. Staff who handle personal data receive appropriate training, and misuse of personal data is treated as a disciplinary matter.
Your Rights
Subject to certain legal exemptions, you have the right to:
- access your personal data;
- request rectification of inaccurate data;
- request erasure of your personal data;
- restrict processing;
- object to processing;
- data portability; and
- withdraw consent, where consent is relied upon.
Right to Complain
The Council takes data protection seriously and welcomes the opportunity to address any concerns you may have.
If you are dissatisfied with how your personal data has been handled, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
