Change size

Print

Website privacy

EPA is committed to valuing and respecting the privacy of the people that it interacts with as well as protecting the personal and sensitive information collected in the course of performing its functions under the Environment Protection Act 1970.

This page relates to privacy and the EPA website, and provides information about the following topics:

Collection of personal and other information

The EPA website does not collect or record personal information, other than information you choose to provide through:

EPA uses this information to respond to individuals and to provide information services as requested.

The EPA website collects anonymous information through web server logs. Information, such as the number, date and timing of visits to the website and the pages of the website visited frequently, is collected for statistical purposes only to assist us to improve our service.

EPA does not attempt to identify individual users from these web server logs.

We will only record your email address for the purpose of replying to messages or requests made by you. Any other contact details you provide will only be retained where:

  • We provide you with a response to a request.
  • You provide us with information as a part of a transaction with EPA.
  • You agree to be placed on our mailing list for bulletins, newsletters or other information.

Email addresses and any other contact details you provide will not be added to a mailing list without your consent.

We do not use this information for direct marketing. Any personal information you provide will only be used for the purposes for which it is intended.

If you access another organisation's website using a link from the EPA website, you will leave the EPA website and will be subject to the terms, conditions and circumstances of the site you visit, including the level of privacy protection offered on that site. EPA's privacy policy and protections will no longer apply once you leave this site.

Top

Secure transactions

EPA has implemented technology and security policies, rules and measures to protect the personal information that we have under our control, including unauthorised access, improper use, alteration, unlawful or accidental destruction and accidental loss.

Users should be aware that there are inherent risks in transmitting information across the internet. It is technically possible for information transmitted over the internet to be observed by third parties.

To protect the sending of sensitive personal and business information to EPA we have implemented secure transaction technology (secure sockets layers) to encrypt transactions.

The transactions protected by encryption are:

Top

Cookies, gathering statistics and the EPA website

The EPA website uses 'cookies' (small data files that are sent to your computer). These cookies do not collect personal information.

You can set your web browser to refuse cookies if you do not wish your computer to store them.

The following information, referred to as 'click stream data', is logged by our server:

  • server address;
  • top level domain name (for example, .com, .gov, .au, .uk, etc);
  • the date and time of visits to our website;
  • the pages accessed and documents downloaded;
  • the type of browser used by visitors; and
  • the address of the referring web page.

A 'web beacon' is an often-transparent graphic image that is placed on a website (or in an email) and when used in combination with cookies, can monitor the behaviour of the user visiting the website. The type of information collected might include the IP address of the computer that retrieved the image, the time the web beacon was viewed and for how long, the type of browser that retrieved the image and previously set cookie values.

The EPA website is currently using a web beacon to gather data about use of this site.

Cookies, clickstream data and web beacons are used to gather statistical information which is designed to assist in understanding what users find interesting and useful on this website.

This website uses the Nielsen//NetRatings website monitoring service to measure use of the website. Information about Nielsen//NetRatings monitoring and privacy policy is available on the Nielsen//NetRatings website.

Top

Use of collected information

Personal information provided by you will not be used and/or disclosed for any purpose other than the purpose of the transaction you have entered into (for example, subscribing to an EPA newsletter or making enquiries by email) unless such a disclosure is required or authorised by the Information Privacy Act or another law for example for law enforcement purposes or to reduce the threat of harm.

Top

Access to information about you

People have a right to access and correct personal information that EPA holds about them.

For information about accessing your personal information or any other privacy concerns privacy, contact the EPA Privacy Officer or Privacy Information Officer:

Privacy Information Officer
EPA Victoria
GPO Box 4395QQ
Melbourne Victoria 3001
Telephone: (03) 9695 2722
Send an email

There may be some circumstances where access to information cannot be granted as it may compromise the privacy of another individual or for other reasons set out in the Freedom of Information Act 1982.

For more information contact the EPA Freedom of Information Officer:

Freedom of Information Officer
EPA Victoria
GPO Box 4395QQ
Melbourne Victoria 3001
Telephone: (03) 9695 2722
Send an email

Privacy information can also be found at the website of the Office of the Victorian Privacy Commissioner.

For more information please see EPA's privacy policy.

Top

Environmental legislation

Get information about Acts, State environment protection policies, waste management policies, regulations and notifiable chemical orders administered by EPA. More »

Resources