Privacy Policy

Last Updated: June 25, 2026

Waste Matters Foundation (“we,” “us,” “our”) is committed to protecting
the privacy of everyone who visits wastematters.org.in or supports our
work on Elephanta Island. This Privacy Policy explains what information
we collect, why we collect it, and how it is used and protected.

By using this website or making a donation through it, you agree to the
practices described in this policy.

1. Who We Are

Waste Matters Foundation is a Mumbai-based NGO, founded in December
2018, working to eliminate plastic waste and marine debris from
Elephanta Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Registered address:
121, National Storage Building, S.B. Road, Mahim West, Mumbai 400016

Contact:
siddhant.padte@wastematters.org.in
ashwin@wastematters.org.in

2. Information We Collect

a) Information you provide directly

When you make a donation, we collect:

• First and last name
• Email address
• PAN (Permanent Account Number) — collected to comply with Indian
  income tax requirements and to issue donation receipts
• Phone number (optional)

When you contact us, volunteer, or inquire about CSR partnership, we
collect the information you choose to share in those forms — typically
your name, email, and the content of your message.

b) Information collected automatically

When you browse our website, certain technical information is
collected automatically, including your IP address, browser type,
device information, and pages visited. This is used for basic site
security and to understand how visitors use the site.

c) Payment information

We do not directly collect or store your card, UPI, or bank details.
All donation payments are processed securely by Razorpay, our
third-party payment gateway. Razorpay handles your payment information
in accordance with its own privacy policy and applicable PCI-DSS
security standards.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Process your donation and issue a receipt
• Comply with Indian income tax recordkeeping requirements
• Respond to inquiries submitted through our contact, volunteer, or
  CSR partnership forms
• Send donation acknowledgements or programme updates, where you have
  agreed to receive them
• Maintain the security and proper functioning of our website
• Understand, in aggregate, how visitors use our site so we can
  improve it

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third
party for marketing purposes.

4. How We Share Your Information

We share personal information only in the following circumstances:

• With Razorpay, to process your donation payment
• With our accountant or auditor, where necessary to maintain financial
  and tax records
• Where required by law, regulation, or a valid request from a
  government or tax authority
• With service providers who help us operate this website (for
  example, our hosting provider), under obligations to protect your
  data

We do not share donor names, contact details, or donation amounts
publicly without your consent.

5. Cookies

Our website may use cookies — small text files stored on your device —
to help the site function properly and to understand site usage
through basic analytics. You can disable cookies through your browser
settings, though some parts of the site may not function as intended
if you do.

6. Data Retention

We retain donation records, including the information needed to issue
tax receipts, for as long as required under applicable Indian tax and
accounting recordkeeping obligations. Contact form submissions are
retained only as long as needed to respond to and resolve your
inquiry, after which they are deleted or anonymized.

7. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect
the personal information you share with us, including PAN details,
from unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. No method of online
transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee
absolute security.

8. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Ask us what personal information we hold about you
• Request that we correct inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your personal information, except where we are
  legally required to retain it (for example, donation and tax records)
• Withdraw consent for non-essential communications (such as programme
  update emails) at any time

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at
siddhant.padte@wastematters.org.in.

9. Children’s Privacy

This website is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly
collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe a
child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so
we can remove it.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes
in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. The
“Last Updated” date at the top of this page will always reflect the
most recent revision. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how
your information is handled, please contact:

Waste Matters Foundation
121, National Storage Building, S.B. Road, Mahim West, Mumbai 400016
siddhant.padte@wastematters.org.in