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Mount Everest Is Stinking With Poop; Climbers Asked To Bring Back Their Poop To Base Camp

Due to large piles of human excreta on the mountain peak, posing a health and environmental concern, there's a new rule for Mt Everest climbers.

by Sanjana Shenoy
Mount Everest Is Stinking With Poop; Climbers Asked To Bring Back Their Poop To Base Camp

The world’s highest peak, Mount Everest is now gracing the news for a sh*tty reason (pun intended). Mount Everest is stinking of poop as due to the extreme temperature, the excreta of climbers isn’t decomposing properly. The solution? Climbers are asked to carry poop bags and bring back their poop to the base camp. Read on to learn more about this concerning environmental situation.

Mount Everest: New Rule Dictates Climbers To Buy Poop Bags From Base Camp

The Chairman of Pasang Lhamu rural municipality, Mingma Sherpa stated to the BBC that Mount Everest has begun to stink. The Pasang Lhamu rural municipality oversees most of the Mount Everest region and is implementing strict measures to protect the sanctity of the world’s highest mountain. As part of the body’s initiative to preserve the environment of the mountain, it has implemented a new rule.

“This is not acceptable”, says Mingma Sherpa about the recent incidents of climbers falling ill after coming in contact with human excrement on the rocks of the Everest. Due to extreme temperatures on the mountain, human excrement doesn’t decompose properly. So, climbers have witnessed visible waste on the rocks and complained to the body about their health and cleanliness concerns. “It erodes our image”, adds Mingma to the BBC.

Also Read: 5 Mountain Ranges You Must Explore In North-East India

Lack Of Snow On Certain Points Exposes Human Excreta On The Mountain

The Mount Everest base camp is equipped with toilet facilities and barrels to collect water. However, the situation becomes more challenging as mountaineers climb higher up to reach the peak. In areas on the mountain with less snow, mountaineers don’t have a choice but to relieve themselves in the open. Unfortunately, very few climbers till now have taken the effort to bring their waste back down in biodegradable bags.

The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) estimates that there are around 3 tonnes of human waste scattered between the upper and lower camps. Half of this is scattered at camp four or South Col. Nestled at an elevation of 7,906 meters, camp four is infamously called an “open toilet”. This is because the lack of snow exposes the piles of human waste left behind.

With the introduction of poo bags at the base camp, the authorities hope this new rule will combat the mounting waste problem on Mount Everest.

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva

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