Environmental Protection Unit’s Privacy Notice

The Department of Environment, Food & Agriculture (DEFA) is registered with the Information Commissioner as a Controller. 

The Department takes its responsibilities in relation to your personal information very seriously and makes every effort to ensure it is secure and not used for any purpose incompatible with that for which it was originally collected. 

If you have any concerns or questions about how the Department deals with your personal information please contact our Data Protection Officer on 686781 or by email at DPO_DEFA@gov.im

• ‘personal data’ means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (‘data subject’). An identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person. 

• ‘processing’ means any operation or set of operations which is performed on personal data or on sets of personal data, whether or not by automated means, such as collection, recording, organisation, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction; 

• ‘Controller’ means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data. 

• ‘Processor’ means a natural or legal person (other than an employee of the Department), public authority, agency or other body which processes personal data on behalf of the controller.

We collect and process information, including your Personal Information in order to carry out our statutory functions to protect the environment.

Your Personal Information may be collected:

• When a report of a potential pollution incident is received the complainant’s name and contact details are collected.
• All complainant details remain anonymous.
• When a potential pollution incident is being investigated the names and contact details of suspected persons responsible and any witnesses are collected.
• Water Discharge License and Waste Disposal License applications.
• Trans frontier Shipment of Waste applications.
• Communications from Building Control about demolitions and demolition waste returns information.

The Environmental Protection Unit does not share your personal information with other bodies.

Contact information comprising of names, telephone numbers, email addresses and addresses.

Your Personal Information is processed where this is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Department. The basis for this processing may be found in: 

• Part 1 of the Water Pollution Act 1993
• Part IV – Refuse Disposal of the Public Health Act 1990

Your Personal Information will be kept for the following time period depending on the type;

• Water Pollution Complaints = 5 years
• Waste Pollution Complaints = 5 years
• Water Discharge License Applications = Applications and supporting information will be retained indefinitely but the associated personal information will be removed after 5 years.   
• Waste Disposal License Application = Applications and supporting information will be retained indefinitely but the associated personal information will be removed after 5 years.  
• Bathing water designation applications -> Indefinitely in case future applications are received, this information is predominantly about Local Authorities.
• Trans-frontier Shipment of Waste -> Indefinitely because the information may be requested by the Environment Agency to demonstrate international compliance with specific legislation. The Department also needs to know what waste has been exported and when.

The security and confidentiality of your information is very important to us.  

We will ensure that:

• Safeguards are in place to make sure personal data is kept securely.
• Only authorised staff are able to view your data.
• Whenever any processing of personal information is considered that has not been carried out before we will risk assess the entire process and consult the Information Commissioner’s Office if we determine there is any high risk to your information cannot be mitigated.
• Staff training in data protection is a continuous process and all new staff must undertake online training. 

The Department does not carry out any automated processing.

You have a right to access your personal data to ensure that it is accurate, and to request that it is rectified, blocked, erased or destroyed if it is inaccurate. 

To make any request relating to your data held by us, please contact our Data Protection Officer using the details below. 

Guidance on making a Data Subject Access Request, when you can request copies of all the Personal Data held about you, can be found here

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you may also complain to the Information Commissioner, whose details can be found on www.inforights.im, or the relevant supervisory authority.  You may have a right to other remedies. 

Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture
Thie Slieau Whallian
Foxdale Road
St John’s
Isle of Man
IM4 3AS

Phone: 01624 686781
Fax: 01624 685851
E-mail: DPO-DEFA@gov.im