Data Retention Policy - Quality Waste

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QualityWaste Ltd – UK Waste Management Services
Effective Date: 2 June 2025

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1. Policy Statement

At QualityWaste Ltd, we are committed to managing personal data responsibly, securely, and in accordance with UK data protection laws. This Data Retention Policy outlines how long we keep different types of data, the legal basis for retention, and how data is securely deleted or anonymised when no longer needed.

This policy supports our compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

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2. Purpose of This Policy

The purpose of this policy is to:

• Ensure personal and business data is not kept longer than necessary.
• Comply with statutory, regulatory, and contractual retention requirements.
• Support transparency and accountability in data management.
• Reduce the risk of data breaches and ensure secure waste management of digital and physical records.

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3. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All employees, contractors, and third parties handling data on behalf of QualityWaste Ltd.
• All formats of data – including electronic files, emails, physical records, CCTV footage, and database entries.
• All personal data relating to customers, suppliers, employees, and website users.

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4. Data Retention Periods

Data Type	Retention Period	Legal/Business Justification
Customer records (invoices, contracts)	6 years after final transaction	HMRC and accounting compliance
Employee records	6 years after termination	Employment law
Job applications (unsuccessful)	6 months	Recruitment best practice
CCTV footage (site security)	30 days (unless required longer)	Health & safety, crime prevention
Website form submissions	2 years	Marketing and customer service tracking
Email correspondence	3 years	Operational and legal reference
Health & safety incident reports	40 years (where relevant)	Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regs

Where legally required, some records may be kept longer. Data no longer needed will be securely deleted or anonymised.

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5. Storage and Security

All retained data is stored securely, whether digitally or physically, and access is restricted based on role. We use encrypted systems, password protection, secure shredding for paper files, and GDPR-compliant cloud storage for digital records.

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6. Deletion and Disposal

When the retention period expires, data will be:

• Permanently deleted from systems and backups.
• Securely shredded (for physical documents).
• Anonymised if required for reporting or analytics.

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7. Data Subject Rights

Individuals have the right to request:

• Access to their data
• Rectification of incorrect data
• Deletion of personal data (where not legally required to retain)
• Restriction of processing

All such requests should be directed to sales@qualitywaste.co.uk.

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8. Monitoring and Review

This Data Retention Policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if required due to changes in legislation or operational processes.

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9. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this policy or how your data is stored, please contact:

📧 sales@qualitywaste.co.uk
🌐 https://www.qualitywaste.co.uk