How We Use Cookies and Similar Technologies
This page explains the cookies we use on bincollectionguide.org/, what each one does, the controls you have, and how we comply with the UK PECR and UK GDPR rules on cookie consent.
What’s on this page
1. What Cookies Are
A cookie is a small text file placed on your device when you visit a website. Cookies let a site remember things — your settings, whether you’re logged in, or that you’ve already dismissed a banner — so the site behaves consistently between page loads and visits.
Beyond classic cookies, websites use related technologies that do similar work: local storage (a small browser database), session storage (cleared when you close the tab), pixel tags / web beacons (tiny invisible images used for measurement), and SDKs (small code modules from analytics or advertising vendors). On this page, “cookies” means all of these unless we say otherwise — that’s the same approach the UK Information Commissioner’s Office takes in its guidance.
2. Why We Use Cookies
Four reasons:
- To make the site work. Pages need to load, sessions need to stay consistent, and the cookie banner needs to remember your answer.
- To remember your preferences. Once you’ve set a cookie choice or dismissed a banner, we remember it so we don’t ask you again on every page.
- To measure how the site is used. Anonymous analytics tells us which content is useful, which pages have problems, and where readers are dropping off — so we can fix and improve.
- To support advertising. Display advertising funds the site. Advertising cookies help limit how often the same ad shows and measure whether it worked.
3. The Four Categories
Cookies on this site fall into four categories. Different rules apply to each:
| Category | What it does | Consent needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly necessary | Lets the site load, serves the right page, protects against abuse, remembers your cookie choice | No (PECR exemption — necessary for the service you have requested) |
| Functional | Remembers preferences (language, font size, dismissed notices) | Yes — opt-in via cookie banner |
| Analytics / performance | Counts visits, measures speed, identifies broken links | Yes — opt-in via cookie banner |
| Advertising / targeting | Limits ad frequency, measures ad performance, supports relevant ads | Yes — opt-in via cookie banner |
Under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), only strictly necessary cookies can be set without prior consent. Everything else needs you to opt in. Our cookie banner does the asking and stores your answer.
4. First-Party Cookies
First-party cookies are set by bincollectionguide.org/ directly. We use a small number for site operation:
| Name | Purpose | Type | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| bcg_consent | Stores your cookie consent choice (accept / reject / customise by category) | Strictly necessary | 12 months |
| bcg_pref | Remembers display preferences such as text size or dismissed banners | Functional | 6 months |
| bcg_session | Maintains your session across pages so the site loads consistently | Strictly necessary | Session (deleted when you close the browser) |
| bcg_csrf | Security token used to protect against cross-site request forgery on contact forms | Strictly necessary | Session |
Exact cookie names and durations may change as we update our content management system. The categories and purposes remain the same.
5. Third-Party Cookies
Third-party cookies are set by other companies whose services we use. We do not control these directly, but we choose which vendors to allow on the site and link to each vendor’s policy so you can read the detail and opt out at the source.
| Vendor | Purpose | Category | Privacy policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics 4 | Aggregate, anonymised site analytics — page views, traffic sources, performance metrics | Analytics | policies.google.com/privacy · Opt-out add-on |
| Google AdSense | Display advertising, frequency capping, ad measurement | Advertising | policies.google.com/technologies/ads |
| Cloudflare | Security, bot mitigation, content delivery | Strictly necessary | cloudflare.com/privacypolicy |
| YouTube (when embedded) | Video playback, in privacy-enhanced mode where available | Functional / Advertising | policies.google.com/privacy |
| Google Maps (when embedded) | Map display for recycling centre locations | Functional | policies.google.com/privacy |
We do not use cookies that fingerprint your device, sell your data to data brokers, or build cross-site behavioural profiles for resale. We do not place social-media share-button cookies that report your reading activity back to those networks unless you actually click a share button.
6. Session vs Persistent Cookies
Cookies fall into two duration buckets:
- Session cookies are temporary. They are deleted automatically when you close your browser. Most security and “remember which page you’re on” cookies are session cookies.
- Persistent cookies stay on your device for a set period — anywhere from a day to a year or more. Cookies that remember your consent choice or analytics identifiers are persistent.
You can review and delete both kinds at any time using your browser’s privacy settings.
7. Consent Under UK PECR and UK GDPR
Two pieces of UK law govern cookies:
- The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) 2003, as amended, which require prior consent before placing any non-essential cookie
- The UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, which set the standard for what counts as valid consent — freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous, indicated by a clear affirmative action
To meet that standard, our cookie banner:
- Appears on first visit before any non-essential cookie is set
- Lets you accept all, reject all, or customise by category — with rejection as easy as acceptance
- Records your choice and the date it was set, so we can show how consent was obtained
- Does not pre-tick any optional boxes
- Is shown again 12 months after your last choice, or when we add a new vendor or category
The Information Commissioner’s Office publishes guidance on cookies and PECR at ico.org.uk.
8. Changing Your Cookie Choices
You can re-open the cookie preference panel at any time by clicking the small “Cookie settings” link in the site footer. Changes apply immediately. You can also clear cookies entirely using your browser’s privacy settings (see Section 9).
Withdrawing consent stops new processing under that consent. It does not undo processing that lawfully took place beforehand. Analytics already collected anonymously will be retained on the standard schedule set out in our Privacy Policy.
9. Browser-Level Controls
Every modern browser gives you tools to view, block, and delete cookies — including ones we don’t control. These settings work across every site you visit:
- Google Chrome: Manage cookies in Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox: Cookies in Firefox
- Apple Safari (Mac): Manage cookies in Safari
- Microsoft Edge: Cookies in Edge
- Brave Browser: Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
- Opera: Settings → Advanced → Privacy and security → Cookies
The site will still load, but some functions may break — your consent choice won’t save, you may see the cookie banner on every visit, and certain interactive features may not work properly. Blocking strictly necessary cookies is not recommended.
10. Mobile Device Controls
If you’re reading on a phone or tablet, your operating system has its own advertising-identifier controls in addition to your browser’s cookie settings:
- iPhone / iPad (iOS): Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking → toggle off “Allow Apps to Request to Track.” Also: Settings → Privacy & Security → Apple Advertising → toggle off “Personalised Ads.”
- Android: Settings → Google → Ads → toggle on “Opt out of Ads Personalisation” (or, in newer Android versions, “Delete advertising ID”).
- Browser apps on mobile (Safari, Chrome, Firefox mobile) have their own cookie controls inside the app’s Settings menu.
11. Industry Opt-Outs
Industry-wide opt-out tools let you reject personalised advertising across many sites at once:
- Your Online Choices (Europe / UK): youronlinechoices.com/uk
- Network Advertising Initiative: optout.networkadvertising.org
- Digital Advertising Alliance: optout.aboutads.info
- Google Ad Settings: adssettings.google.com
These tools work by setting opt-out cookies in your browser, so you’ll need to re-apply them on each device and browser you use.
12. Changes to This Policy
If we add a new vendor, change cookie durations, or update our consent tools, we will revise this page and update the “Last reviewed” date at the top. Substantive changes — for example, adding a new advertising vendor or new tracking category — will trigger a refreshed cookie banner so you can review and re-confirm your choices.
For broader detail on how cookie data sits within our overall privacy practice, see our Privacy Policy.
13. Questions About Cookies
If you have questions about a specific cookie, want help opting out, or believe a cookie is being set that this policy doesn’t cover, email us — we’ll investigate and respond within seven working days.
- Email: info@bincollectionguide.org
- Subject line: “Cookies”
Adjust Your Cookie Settings Anytime
Use the “Cookie settings” link in the site footer to change your choices. Or contact us directly with questions.
📧 info@bincollectionguide.org