Air quality pages privacy policy

If you are a user with general public and anonymous access, these Defra air quality pages does not store or capture personal information, but do log your IP address which is automatically recognised by the web server.

We will only collect information about you that is required for system administration of our web server. This privacy statement only covers the Defra air quality pages at http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk. This statement does not cover links within this site to other websites.

The system will record your email address and other information if volunteered to us by you. This shall be treated as proprietary and confidential. It may be used for internal review and to notify you about updates to the Defra air quality pages.

https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk is provided by Ricardo on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

What data we collect

The personal data we collect from you includes:

  • your name, email address and phone number if you sign up for email bulletins.
  • your email address if you sign up to our air pollution email alerts.
  • your Internet Protocol (IP) address, and details of which version of web browser you used.
  • information on how you use the site, using cookies.

Where you provide your consent, we use Google Analytics to collect information about how you use https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk. This includes IP addresses.

Google Analytics processes information about:

We make sure you cannot be directly identified by Google Analytics data. We do this by using Google Analytics’ IP address anonymisation feature and by removing any other personal data from the titles or URLs of the pages you visit.

We will not combine analytics information with other data sets in a way that would directly identify who you are.

Why we need your data

We collect your personal data to:

  • gather feedback to improve our services, for example our email alerts.
  • send email alerts to users who request them.
  • monitor use of the site to identify security threats.
  • monitor the performance of the site to identify inefficiencies and JavaScript errors.

We use the information we collect through Google Analytics to see how you use https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk and to see how well the site performs on your device.

We do this to help:

  • make sure https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk is meeting the needs of its users.
  • make performance improvements, for example improving page load time and data usage where possible.

Our legal basis for processing your data

The legal basis for processing data collected with Google Analytics and Meta Pixel on https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/ is your consent.

What we do with your data

The data we collect may be shared with other government departments, agencies, and public bodies. It may also be shared with our technology suppliers, for example our hosting provider.

We will share your data if we are required to do so by law - for example, by court order, or to prevent fraud or other crime.

The data we collect with Google Analytics cookies is transferred and stored with Google where we analyse it with Google Analytics software (Universal Analytics). We do not allow Google to use or share this data for their own purposes.

We will not:

  • sell or rent your data to third parties
  • share your data with third parties for marketing purposes

How long we keep your data.

We will only retain your personal data for as long as it is needed for the purposes set out in this document or for as long as the law requires us to.

We will:

  • keep your email data until you unsubscribe.
  • present you with opportunity to unsubscribe.

Children’s privacy protection

Our services are not designed for, or intentionally targeted at, children 13 years of age or younger. We do not intentionally collect or maintain data about anyone under the age of 13.

Where your data is processed and stored

We design, build and run our systems to make sure that your data is as safe as possible at all stages, both while it’s processed and when it’s stored.

All personal data is stored in the European Economic Area (EEA). Data collected by Google Analytics and MetaPixel may be transferred outside the EEA for processing.

Where data processing happens in the US, suppliers need to meet the certification standards set out in the UK-US data bridge agreement. This facilitates flows of personal data to certified US companies that have opted into the EU-US Data Privacy Framework.

How we protect your data and keep it secure

We are committed to doing all that we can to keep your data secure. We have set up systems and processes to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure of your data – for example, we protect your data using varying levels of encryption.

Your rights

You have the right to request:

  • information about how your personal data is processed.
  • a copy of that personal data.
  • that anything inaccurate in your personal data is corrected immediately.

You can also:

  • raise an objection about how your personal data is processed.
  • request that your personal data is erased if there is no longer a justification for it.
  • ask that the processing of your personal data is restricted in certain circumstances.

Links to other websites

https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/ contains links to other websites.

This privacy notice only applies to https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/ and does not cover other websites and services that we link to.

Following a link to another website.

If you go to another website from this one, read the privacy policy on that website to find out what it does with your information.

Contact us or make a complaint.

Contact us if you:

have a question about anything in this privacy notice. think that your personal data has been misused or mis-handled.

You can also contact our Data Protection Officer (DPO):

Data Protection Officer
Gemini Building
Fermi Avenue
Harwell IBC
Oxon OX11 0QR

The DPO provides independent advice and monitoring of our use of personal information.

You can also make a complaint to the Information Commissioner, who is an independent regulator.

Information Commissioner
icocasework@ico.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Textphone: 01625 545860
Monday to Friday, 9am to 4:30pm

Find out about call charges

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF