A team of soldiers and Sherpas led by Ang Babu Sherpa recently completed a challenging clean-up mission on Mount Everest, removing 11 tons of garbage, four dead bodies, and a skeleton from the highest camp on the world’s tallest mountain. The team faced dangerous conditions due to low oxygen levels and harsh weather at the 8,000-meter altitude of the South Col camp.
According to Ang Babu, there could still be as much as 40-50 tons of garbage left at the camp, mostly consisting of old tents, food packaging, gas cartridges, oxygen bottles, and ropes. Despite recent efforts to reduce waste, including a government requirement for climbers to bring back their garbage or lose their deposits, a significant amount of garbage remains from past expeditions.
The team had to wait for good weather conditions to melt the ice covering the garbage, as the frozen blocks were difficult to break apart. After collection, three tons of decomposable waste were taken to nearby villages, while the remaining eight tons were transported to Kathmandu for recycling.
Sushil Khadga, of the recycling agency Agni Ventures, reported that the oldest waste received dated back to 1957, highlighting the long history of pollution on the mountain. Climbers and their helpers often prioritize survival in the harsh conditions, leading them to leave garbage behind. However, increased environmental awareness among climbers has helped reduce waste left on the mountain in recent years, though there is still work to be done to fully clean up the iconic peak.
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