Ny-Ålesund is situated in a pristine and vulnerable environment, where the cold conditions tend to preserve waste rather than degrade them. The community has been selected by the Norwegian government to be a "green scientific station", i.e. a place that takes special care of its natural environment. Kings Bay AS is constantly working on improvement and development of its waste management programme and was awarded with the Norwegian 'Avfallsforum Nord Miljøpris 2002' as a tribute to the effort put into protecting the local environment by a sufficient waste handling and recycling programme.

Arriving to Ny-Ålesund you will be a part of the different environmental programmes started by Kings Bay AS to reduce the human impact in and around the settlement.

Kings Bay AS is constantly working on implementing ecological thinking within the community. 
 

The goal is zero waste deposit in Ny-Ålesund

Back in 1995 a waste management scheme was introduced in Ny-Ålesund and today all waste is sorted into more than 25 different categories. The sorted materials that can not be reused in Ny-Ålesund are shipped to recycling companies in mainland Norway, thus avoiding any waste deposit in the sensitive Arctic nature. The effects on the daily life in Ny-Ålesund seem to be very positive with people taking active part in the protection of the environment and being aware of in their responsibility to keep the production of waste in Ny-Ålesund at a minimum.

Kings Bay AS expects all visitors to contribute to achieve the common goal of zero waste. Various specific research supplies and materials are classified as special waste, being potentially hazardous for the environment and personal health. Persons bringing special waste to Ny-Ålesund are also responsible for the arrangement of bringing it to a approved waste facility. The main requirement is to be conscious of what you bring to this vulnerable environment. Because: the majority of waste created here must be transported away!