The highest camp on Mount Everest is plagued with garbage that will take years to clean up, according to a Sherpa who recently led a team to clear trash and retrieve long-frozen bodies near the mountain’s peak.
A Nepal government-funded team of soldiers and Sherpas removed 11 tons (24,000 pounds) of garbage, four dead bodies, and a skeleton from Mount Everest during this year’s climbing season.
Massive waste at South col
Ang Babu Sherpa, who led the cleanup team, estimated that there could be as much as 40-50 tons (88,000-110,000 pounds) of garbage still at South Col, the last camp before climbers make their final ascent to the summit.
“The garbage left there were mostly old tents, some food packaging and gas cartridges, oxygen bottles, tent packs, and ropes used for climbing and tying up tents,” he said, noting that the trash is layered and frozen at the 8,000-meter (26,400-foot) altitude where South Col is located.
Historical accumulation of waste
Since the peak was first conquered in 1953, thousands of climbers have scaled Mount Everest, leaving behind more than just their footprints. In recent years, government mandates requiring climbers to bring back their garbage or forfeit their deposits, along with heightened environmental awareness, have reduced the amount of new trash. However, much of the waste at South Col is from older expeditions.
“Most of the garbage is from older expeditions,” Ang Babu said.
Challenging cleanup conditions
Sherpas on the team collected garbage and bodies from higher-altitude areas, while soldiers worked at lower levels and the base camp. The popular spring climbing season, when weather conditions are more favorable, was utilized for the cleanup effort.
Ang Babu described the weather as a significant challenge in the South Col area, where oxygen levels are about one-third of normal, and winds can quickly turn to blizzard conditions with plunging temperatures.
“We had to wait for good weather when the sun would melt the ice cover. But waiting a long time in that altitude and conditions is just not possible,” he said. “It’s difficult to stay for long with the oxygen level very low.”
Retrieving bodies from the ice
Digging out the frozen garbage is a significant task. It took two days to extract one body near the South Col that was frozen in a standing position deep in the ice. Midway through, the team had to retreat to lower camps due to deteriorating weather and resumed when conditions improved.
Another body, located at 8,400 meters (27,720 feet), took 18 hours to drag to Camp 2, where a helicopter transported it to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu for identification.
Of the 11 tons of garbage removed, three tons of decomposable items were taken to villages near Mount Everest’s base, while the remaining eight tons were carried by porters and yaks and then transported by trucks to Kathmandu. There, the waste was sorted for recycling at a facility operated by Agni Ventures, an agency managing recyclable waste.
“The oldest waste we received was from 1957, and that was rechargeable batteries for torch lights,” said Sushil Khadga of Agni Ventures.
Why climbers leave garbage behind?
“At that high altitude, life is very difficult and oxygen is very low. So climbers and their helpers are more focused on saving themselves,” Khadga explained.
The ongoing cleanup efforts highlight the long-term environmental impact of mountaineering and the challenges of maintaining the world’s highest peak.