1. Who we are
WhatBins is an iPhone app that shows your bin collection schedule and reminds you before bin day. WhatBins is provided by Pied Piper Software Limited, 3rd Floor, 86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE, England ("we"). We are the data controller for the personal information described here under UK data protection law (the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018). You can reach us at support@whatbins.app.
We have tried to keep WhatBins as private as an app like this can be. You do not create an account, we never ask for your name, the app contains no analytics, and we do not use advertising or tracking of any kind.
2. What we collect and why
Your postcode and address. When you add a property, the app sends the postcode to our server so we can show you a list of addresses, and then the address you pick (including its UPRN, the national reference number for a property) so we can fetch its collection schedule. Our server stores the address, postcode and schedule so that it can keep the schedule up to date. This record is not linked to your name, email address or any account.
A notification token. If you turn on reminders, Apple gives the app a push notification token. We store it alongside the property it relates to and your chosen reminder time, so we can send reminders and tell you when a schedule changes. This means the token is linked to that property's address on our server.
An app verification key. To stop our service being abused, the app proves it is a genuine copy of WhatBins using Apple's App Attest. We store the public key Apple generates for your installation, a short-lived session token (stored only as a hash) and the time the app last connected. This identifies an installation of the app, not you.
Technical data. Like any internet service, our server sees your IP address when the app or this website connects. We use it briefly to limit excessive requests and it may appear in security logs when a request is refused. We do not use it to work out who or where you are.
Requests for a new council. If your council is not supported and you ask us to let you know when it is, we store your postcode and, if you provide them, your notification token and email address, so that we can tell you.
Support messages. If you email us, we receive your email address and whatever you choose to tell us, and use it to reply and fix the problem.
3. What stays on your iPhone
The names you give your properties, your bin stickers and colours, your bin-cleaning schedule and your other preferences are stored on your device and are not sent to us. If you use iCloud, your list of properties is synced between your own devices using your iCloud account. That data is held by Apple under your Apple account, and we cannot see it.
WhatBins does not ask for access to your location, contacts, photos, camera or microphone.
4. Our legal bases
- Providing the service you asked for: looking up your address, fetching and showing your schedule, and replying to support requests.
- Your consent: sending push notifications, and contacting you about a new council. You can withdraw consent at any time in Settings on your iPhone, or by emailing us.
- Our legitimate interests: keeping the service secure and reliable, which is why we verify the app and limit excessive requests.
5. Who we share it with
We never sell your information or use it for advertising. We share only what is needed with the services that make WhatBins work:
- Apple. Apple delivers our push notifications and verifies the app. The app also uses Apple's WeatherKit and mapping services to show the weather for collection day, which means your property's address is sent to Apple to find its approximate position. Apple also provides iCloud sync and distributes the app. Apple's use of data is covered by its own privacy policy.
- Ideal Postcodes. We send the postcode you enter to this UK address lookup service to get the list of addresses for it.
- Your local council. Our server asks your council's website for the collection schedule for your address. If you choose to report a missed collection, the app opens your council's own website, and anything you submit there goes to the council directly.
- Render. Our server and database are hosted by Render in Frankfurt, Germany.
- Cloudflare Web Analytics. This website, but not the app, counts visits with Cloudflare Web Analytics. It sets no cookies, does not identify you or follow you to other websites, and shows us only totals such as how many people visited a page and which site they came from.
We may also disclose information if the law requires us to.
6. Where your data is held
Our server and database are in the European Economic Area. The UK government has decided that EEA countries provide adequate protection for personal data, so it can be transferred there from the UK. Apple and Google may process data in other countries under their own safeguards.
7. How long we keep it
- Addresses and schedules are kept while they are in use for showing schedules and sending reminders.
- Notification tokens are kept while reminders are on, and are switched off automatically when Apple tells us a token is no longer valid, for example after you delete the app.
- Session tokens expire automatically. Address lookups are cached for up to 7 days.
- Support emails are kept for as long as we need them to deal with your request.
Removing a property or deleting the app clears what is stored on your iPhone. To have the information held on our server removed as well, email us and we will delete it within 30 days.
8. Your rights
Under UK data protection law you can ask us for a copy of your personal information, ask us to correct or delete it, object to or restrict how we use it, ask for it in a portable format, and withdraw consent at any time. Email support@whatbins.app and we will reply within one month. Because we do not hold your name or an account, we may need you to tell us your postcode and address so that we can find your information.
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.
9. Cookies and tracking
The app and this website do not use cookies for analytics or advertising, and we do not track you across other apps or websites.
10. Children
WhatBins is a general household app and is not aimed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
11. Changes to this policy
If we change how we handle your information, we will update this page and the date at the top. For significant changes we will also tell you in the app.