Privacy Notice

This privacy notice explains how Litter Pick ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, and protects your personal data when you use our website and service. We are committed to handling your data responsibly and transparently.

Litter Pick is the data controller for the personal data described in this notice.

1. What personal data we collect

Account data

If you create an account: your email address and a securely hashed password. We never store passwords in plain text.

Profile data

If you sign up as a volunteer: your name, email address, and postcode area. Your name and general area may be visible to other volunteers and pick organisers in the same locality.

Litter report data

Location (latitude and longitude), optional photo, severity rating, optional description, and a timestamp. Reports do not require an account. Report locations and photos are visible on the public map and hotspot pages.

Uploaded image data

Photos you upload as part of litter reports or pick logs. These may be resized, compressed, and displayed publicly on the Service. Please do not include identifiable individuals in photos unless you have their permission.

Technical data

IP address, browser type and version, device type, operating system, and referring URL. This data is collected automatically when you use the Service.

Analytics data

We may collect anonymised usage data such as pages visited, features used, and session duration to help us understand how the Service is used and improve it.

Moderation and reporting data

If you report content or another user, or if your content or account is the subject of a report, we store details of the report, any investigation, and the outcome. This may include correspondence between you and our team.

2. How we use your data

We use your personal data to:

• Provide and operate the Service, including displaying reports on the map
• Create and manage your account
• Connect volunteers with picks in their area
• Process, moderate, and display uploaded content
• Respond to reports, complaints, and support requests
• Detect and prevent misuse, fraud, and security threats
• Improve and develop the Service
• Comply with legal obligations

3. Lawful bases

Under UK GDPR, we rely on the following lawful bases for processing your personal data:

• Contract — processing necessary to provide the Service to you (e.g. account management, displaying reports)
• Legitimate interests — improving the Service, preventing misuse, and ensuring security, where these interests are not overridden by your rights
• Consent — where you have given specific consent, for example for non-essential cookies (see our Cookie Policy)
• Legal obligation — where we need to process data to comply with the law

4. Who we share data with

We share personal data with the following categories of recipients:

• Other users — litter reports (including photos and locations) are visible on the public map. Volunteer names and general areas may be visible to other volunteers and pick organisers.
• Service providers — we use Supabase (authentication and database hosting) and MapTiler (map tiles). These providers process data on our behalf under appropriate agreements.
• Law enforcement or regulators — if required by law, court order, or to protect the safety of our users.

We do not sell your personal data. We do not share it with advertisers or data brokers.

5. International transfers

Some of our service providers may process data outside the United Kingdom. Where this happens, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as standard contractual clauses approved by the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) or adequacy decisions.

6. How long we keep data

• Account data — retained for as long as your account is active, plus a reasonable period after deletion for backup and legal purposes.
• Litter reports — retained indefinitely to maintain the historical map record, unless you request deletion.
• Uploaded photos — retained for as long as the associated report or pick log exists on the platform.
• Technical and analytics data — retained for up to 12 months.
• Moderation records — retained for as long as necessary to enforce our policies and handle disputes.

7. Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data
• Erase your data (subject to certain exceptions)
• Restrict or object to processing in certain circumstances
• Data portability — receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Withdraw consent at any time (where consent is our lawful basis)

To exercise any of these rights, please email privacy@litterpick.org. We will respond within one month.

8. Children

Litter Pick is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it. Users aged 13–17 should have parental or guardian permission before creating an account or uploading content.

9. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, please contact us first at privacy@litterpick.org so we can try to resolve your concern.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection authority:

• Website: ico.org.uk
• Helpline: 0303 123 1113

10. Contact

For any privacy-related questions, please contact us at privacy@litterpick.org.