For the establishment of work camps, a limit is defined at 300 person-days (1 person-day corresponds to 1 person for 1 day. For example: 5 persons staying for 7 days, correspond to 35 person-days).

For temporary work camps with fewer than 300 person-days, the general environmental rules apply:

“Rules on fieldwork and reporting for raw materials (excluding hydrocarbons) in Greenland” (the Field Rules).

For camps where the 300 person-days are exceeded, an extended set of rules applies;

“Guidelines for the management of waste from temporary work camps”.

The guidelines have been developed following the principles of application of Best Available Technology (BAT) and Best Environmental Practice (BEP) for the management of waste in work camps.

The establishment, operation and decommissioning of a temporary work camp shall always be carried out with minimum impact on surface areas and the surrounding environment. When the work camp is wound up, the area shall be restored on the basis of the permits granted and the approval of the site closure by the Mineral Resource Authority.

The management of wastewater and waste from temporary work camps shall comply with environmental requirements described in the guidelines document ‘Guidelines for the management of waste from temporary camps’. The document provides general guidance on how to treat waste and wastewater correctly.

In a number of situations, waste and wastewater management must be described in more detail in an application to the Environmental Agency for Mineral Resource Activities (EAMRA), which may lay down additional conditions for the specific activity.