The Nepalese government announced on the 3rd that, in light of the severe waste problem currently facing Mount Everest (also known as Qomolangma or Sagarmatha), it will require climbers to carry down 8 kg of trash starting this spring.
The Nepalese government is considering applying this rule to other high peaks in the Himalayas as well. Local mountaineering professionals said that while there have been regulations requiring trash to be brought down in the past, enforcement has been lax and no specific weight was mandated—so they welcome the new regulation.
Since the first climber reached the summit of Everest 61 years ago, the rise in commercial tourism has led to a dramatic increase in the number of climbers. It is reported that there are around 50 tons of discarded waste along the climbing routes, including oxygen tanks and cooking gas canisters, raising growing concerns about ecosystem impacts and water pollution.
The trash brought down will be sorted at base camp, with food waste handled locally, while plastics and metals will be transported to the capital, Kathmandu.