A team of soldiers and Sherpas recently completed a clean-up mission on Mount Everest, removing 11 tons of garbage, four dead bodies, and a skeleton from the world’s highest camp. The mission, funded by the Nepal government, aimed to address the growing issue of waste left behind by climbers on the popular mountain.
Sherpa Ang Babu, who led the mission, revealed that there could be as much as 40-50 tons of garbage still at the South Col camp, including old tents, packaging, and equipment left behind by previous expeditions. Despite recent efforts to enforce regulations requiring climbers to bring back their garbage, a significant amount of waste remains from earlier decades.
The challenging conditions on Everest, including low oxygen levels and extreme weather, made the clean-up mission a difficult task. The team had to wait for favorable weather to melt the ice covering the garbage and face the physical challenges of working at high altitudes.
Of the 11 tons of garbage removed, three tons of decomposable items were taken to nearby villages for disposal, while the rest were transported to Kathmandu for recycling. The agency responsible for recycling the waste reported that the oldest item recovered dated back to 1957.
The issue of garbage left behind by climbers on Everest highlights the importance of raising awareness about environmental conservation in the mountaineering community. Efforts are being made to address the problem, but more action is needed to ensure that the world’s tallest mountain remains clean and pristine for future generations of climbers.
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