Cookie Policy

1. What Cookies Are

Cookies are small text files that a website places on your device when you visit. They store information that helps the page work — keeping you logged in, remembering your preferences, recognising you when you return — and can also be used for analytics and advertising. “Similar technologies” includes pixels, tags, local storage, and SDK identifiers; we treat them all the same way under this policy.

2. The Legal Framework

In Ireland, cookies are governed by two layers of law that operate together:

• The ePrivacy Regulations — S.I. No. 336/2011, the European Communities (Electronic Communications Networks and Services) (Privacy and Electronic Communications) Regulations 2011. Regulation 5 requires consent for storage of any non-strictly-necessary information on your device.
• The GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 — where cookies process personal data, the GDPR’s lawful-basis and rights framework also applies. Where consent is the basis under Regulation 5, that consent must meet the GDPR Article 4(11) standard: freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous, by a clear affirmative action.

The Data Protection Commission (DPC) enforces both frameworks in Ireland and has published binding guidance on cookies and similar tracking technologies.

3. The Four Cookie Categories

4. First-Party Cookies (Set by recyclingcentreireland.org/)

5. Third-Party Cookies (Set by Other Services)

6. Analytics — Google Analytics 4

We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to understand which content is most useful, how readers move through the site, and where editorial improvements are needed. GA4 is loaded only after you consent. Configuration includes:

• IP-anonymisation is on by default in GA4
• Identifiable analytics data is retained no longer than 14 months
• “Google signals” advertising features are off
• Data-deletion requests are honoured under GDPR Articles 17 and 21
• EU–US Data Privacy Framework — Google LLC self-certifies under the framework

To opt out at the Google level, install the official Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On.

7. Advertising — Google AdSense

Display advertising on the site is served through Google AdSense, which uses cookies and identifiers to limit how often you see the same ad and to measure ad performance. Advertising cookies are loaded only after you consent.

Google’s ad-personalization controls: adssettings.google.com.

8. Security and CDN — Cloudflare

Cloudflare provides DDoS protection, bot mitigation, and content-delivery acceleration. Cloudflare cookies (such as cf_clearance) are strictly necessary for the site to function safely under Regulation 5(5) of the ePrivacy Regulations and are not used for analytics or advertising. They cannot be turned off without making the site less secure or unavailable.

9. How We Ask for Consent

On your first visit, the cookie banner gives you three buttons: Accept all, Reject non-essential, and Customize. Strictly-necessary cookies are loaded immediately under the ePrivacy Regulations exemption. Analytics, functional, and advertising cookies are loaded only after you make an affirmative choice — meeting the GDPR Article 4(11) standard for valid consent. The “Cookie settings” link in the footer reopens the banner so you can change your choice at any time, satisfying GDPR Article 7(3) on withdrawal of consent being as easy as giving it.

10. Global Privacy Control (GPC)

To enable GPC, use a browser or extension that supports it — Firefox (built-in), Brave (built-in), DuckDuckGo browser (built-in), or extensions like Privacy Badger, OptMeowt, or DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials. More information at globalprivacycontrol.org.

11. Browser Controls

Every modern browser lets you view, manage, block, and delete cookies in its settings. The exact path differs by browser:

• Google Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
• Microsoft Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies and site data
• Mozilla Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
• Apple Safari (macOS): Safari → Settings → Privacy
• Brave: Settings → Shields → Cookies
• Opera: Settings → Privacy & security → Cookies and other site data

Blocking strictly-necessary cookies will break parts of the site. Blocking analytics and advertising cookies will not.

12. Mobile Controls

• iOS: Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking — toggle off “Allow Apps to Request to Track” (App Tracking Transparency); Settings → Apple Advertising → Personalised Ads
• Android: Settings → Google → Ads → “Delete advertising ID” or “Opt out of Ads Personalization”

13. Industry Opt-Outs

14. Data Protection Commission (DPC) Oversight

The DPC supervises both the GDPR and the ePrivacy Regulations in Ireland and has published binding guidance on cookies and similar tracking technologies. The DPC’s guidance requires:

• No non-essential cookies set before consent
• Pre-ticked boxes are not valid consent
• Cookie walls (forced consent for access) are not valid consent
• Withdrawal must be as easy as consent
• Lifetimes must be reasonable and proportionate

If you believe we have breached cookie or ePrivacy rules, you have the right under Article 77 GDPR to lodge a complaint with the DPC at dataprotection.ie.

15. Changes to This Policy

We update this policy when our cookie use changes — for example, if we add or remove a third-party service. The “Last reviewed” date at the top reflects the current version. Significant changes will be flagged on the homepage banner for at least 30 days.