Trash on Mount Everest – Environmental Nightmare

Trash on Mount Everest has become quite an issue. In the last 65 years Mount Everest has been transformed from the most pristine area to a trash dump of camping gear, oxygen tanks, garbage, and human waste.  The surrounding areas are also full of garbage from the lodges and villages where over 4000 people have used for their start of their trek up the mountain.

Mount Everest is located in the Sagarmatha National Park in the Khumbu region of Nepal.  The mountain range is located in the countries of Bhutan, India, Nepal, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan of Asia.

Since 1953 when Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were able to reach the summit there have been thousands of people who have tried and made it to the summit.  It is now a major destination for tourists, where over 150,000 attempt the climb every year.  Some make it and a lot don’t reach the summit. Trash on Mount Everest has been an increasing issue caused by these explorere who leave debris behind from their travel.

Now that it has become apparent that the mountain needs to be cleared of all the garbage left behind by tourists they have started charging a $4000 clean up fee.  If you come back down the mountain with at least 18 pounds of garbage you will be refunded this amount.  Since the cleaning of the mountain they have a cleaner mountain but filled landfills.

Most of the climbers do clean up their camp sites since being charged the clean up fee.