In a recent update, the world’s tallest peak, Mount Everest’s highest camp is littered with frozen garbage. Recently, a team led by Ang Babu Sherpa took on the daunting task of cleaning up debris and recovering remains near Everest’s summit. He reports that despite their efforts, the site remains littered with significant amounts of garbage, and that the cleanup process might take years to complete.
During the latest climbing season, a joint effort funded by the Nepal government involving soldiers and Sherpas managed to remove an impressive 11 tons (11000 kg) of waste, along with four bodies and a skeleton. However, this only scratches the surface of the problem.
Ang Babu Sherpa estimates that there may still be between 40 to 50 tons of garbage across South Col, the last camp before climbers attempt the summit.
The debris left behind comprises mostly old tents, food packaging, gas cartridges, oxygen bottles, discarded ropes, and other climbing gear.
These items have accumulated over decades of Everest expeditions, creating layers of frozen waste at the inhospitable altitude of 8,000 meters (26,400 feet). The extreme conditions at such heights, where oxygen levels are severely reduced and weather can turn treacherous in an instant, pose challenges to any cleanup operation.
Historically, climbers have not always been diligent about removing their waste. Despite recent regulations requiring climbers to carry out their garbage or risk losing their deposits, much of the litter recovered by Ang Babu’s team dates back to earlier expeditions, highlighting a longstanding issue of environmental cleanup on Everest.