Complain in confidence

When you make a complaint about an environmental issue, you will be asked to give your name and contact details. You are not obliged to give your contact details when making a complaint. However, we have found that complaints are more effectively investigated and resolved when you allow your contact details to be communicated to the EPA, the local council or the operator of the site. This is because the investigator can more easily discuss the details of the complaint and how to achieve suitable outcomes.

Your contact details are “personal data” under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This means that your personal details will not be published or made available in any publicly accessible form.

In summary, you have three options regarding the way we manage your personal data:

Option regarding your personal data	Effects of this choice
Anonymous You can decide not to provide your personal data to the EPA or not to allow your personal data to be retained by the EPA or not to be passed on to another public body as part of the investigation of your complaint. You can also decide not to allow your personal data to be passed on to the operator of the activity you are complaining about.	The investigation of your complaint by either the local authority or the EPA will probably be less effective; This is because there is usually a need for further information or assistance from you about the details of the issue; Also, it would prevent communication to you about the investigation and progress being made towards resolving the problem; The operator will be made aware of the complaint, but not who made the complaint.
Shareable and Confidential You can decide to allow your personal data to be retained by the EPA and to be passed on to another public body as part of the investigation of your complaint, but not to be passed on to the operator of the activity you are complaining about.	The investigation of your complaint will be undertaken by either the local authority or the EPA; You will receive updates from either the local authority or the EPA about the investigation and progress being made towards resolving the problem; The operator will become aware of the complaint, but not who made the complaint.
Disclosed You can decide to allow your personal data to be retained by the EPA and to be passed on to another public body as part of the investigation of your complaint, and also for your details to be passed on to the operator of the activity you are complaining about.	The investigation of your complaint will be undertaken by either the local authority or the EPA; You will receive updates from either the local authority or the EPA about the investigation and progress being made towards resolving the problem; The operator will be made aware of the complaint and the identity of the person who made the complaint. This would enable the operator to contact you directly to update you about the progress being made to resolve the problem.

Option regarding your personal data

Effects of this choice

Anonymous

You can decide not to provide your personal data to the EPA

or not to allow your personal data to be retained by the EPA

or not to be passed on to another public body as part of the investigation of your complaint.

You can also decide not to allow your personal data to be passed on to the operator of the activity you are complaining about.

The investigation of your complaint by either the local authority or the EPA will probably be less effective;

This is because there is usually a need for further information or assistance from you about the details of the issue;

Also, it would prevent communication to you about the investigation and progress being made towards resolving the problem;

The operator will be made aware of the complaint, but not who made the complaint.

Shareable and Confidential

You can decide to allow your personal data to be retained by the EPA

and to be passed on to another public body as part of the investigation of your complaint,

but not to be passed on to the operator of the activity you are complaining about.

The investigation of your complaint will be undertaken by either the local authority or the EPA;

You will receive updates from either the local authority or the EPA about the investigation and progress being made towards resolving the problem;

The operator will become aware of the complaint, but not who made the complaint.

Disclosed

You can decide to allow your personal data to be retained by the EPA

and to be passed on to another public body as part of the investigation of your complaint,

and also for your details to be passed on to the operator of the activity you are complaining about.

The investigation of your complaint will be undertaken by either the local authority or the EPA;

You will receive updates from either the local authority or the EPA about the investigation and progress being made towards resolving the problem;

The operator will be made aware of the complaint and the identity of the person who made the complaint. This would enable the operator to contact you directly to update you about the progress being made to resolve the problem.

The EPA places summary details on all complaints about licensed facilities on our public file. This is to maintain a complete public record of activities relating to EPA licensed facilities. These details do not include any personal data. See Access to information on compliance and enforcement.