Privacy Policy
Effective date: July 14, 2026
SoCal Desert Cleanup (“SCDC,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share information through socaldesertcleanup.org and the Report Illegal Dumping web application.
Information we collect
When you submit an illegal dumping report, we may collect the location you select on the map, an address or coordinates, the type and severity of waste, the date and time, your description, and photographs you choose to provide. You may report anonymously. If you choose to provide them, we may also collect your name, telephone number, email address, and consent to be contacted.
Our website and service providers may automatically receive limited technical information, such as your IP address, browser or device type, operating system, referring page, and basic usage or security logs. Location, camera, and photo-library access are used only when you choose to grant permission through your device or browser.
How we use information
- Document and map reported illegal dumping locations and trends.
- Track the type, severity, and scale of dumping across desert communities.
- Maintain historical records and produce aggregated statistics.
- Support research, education, grant applications, advocacy, and coordination with public agencies and community partners.
- Contact you about a report only when you provide contact information and authorize contact, or when reasonably necessary for safety or legal compliance.
- Operate, secure, maintain, and improve the website and reporting system.
Submitting a report does not create a cleanup request, emergency response, or guarantee that SCDC or another organization will visit or remove waste from the reported location.
How information is shared
We use service providers to operate the website, reporting application, maps, email, hosting, and records system. These providers may process information for us subject to their own terms and privacy practices. Current services may include WordPress/IONOS, Expo, mapping or geocoding providers, email providers, and Airtable.
We may share report locations, photographs, descriptions, trends, and aggregated statistics with government agencies, researchers, funders, community organizations, service providers, or the public when doing so supports our nonprofit mission. We do not sell personal information. We do not intentionally publish your optional name, telephone number, or email address with a report. We may disclose information when required by law, to protect safety or legal rights, or with your permission.
Data storage and retention
Reports may be delivered to report@socaldesertcleanup.org and stored in systems used by SCDC, including Airtable and our service providers. We retain report information for as long as reasonably necessary to document illegal dumping, analyze long-term trends, support our mission, meet legal obligations, resolve disputes, and protect the integrity of our records. We may retain de-identified or aggregated information indefinitely.
Your choices and requests
You may submit a report without providing your name, telephone number, or email address. You may decline location, camera, or photo permissions and may instead enter available information manually when the application allows it. To request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information you provided, contact us using the address below. We may need to verify your request and may retain information when required or permitted by law.
Photographs and sensitive information
Please submit only photographs you are legally permitted to share. Avoid including faces, license plates, private residences, documents, or other identifying or sensitive information unless it is necessary to document the dumping site. Photographs may contain embedded metadata, including location data.
Security
We use reasonable administrative and technical measures to protect information. No website, email, mobile application, or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Children’s privacy
The reporting service is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. A parent or guardian who believes a child submitted personal information may contact us to request its removal.
Third-party links and services
Our website may link to or embed services operated by other organizations. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies, not this Privacy Policy.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy as our services or legal obligations change. The effective date at the top of this page shows when it was last updated.
Contact us
For privacy questions or requests, email report@socaldesertcleanup.org or visit socaldesertcleanup.org.