Clean Everest

Since the first commercial expeditions were organised 30 years ago, Everest and the other 8000m peaks have been littered with rubbish left behind by thousands of climbers each year. 

Waste management on the highest peaks in the world is a difficult task, especially in the Tibetan areas of China, as there is little sustainable infrastructure. Pollution in the Himalayas endangers access to and consumption of water, as the glaciers feed Asia’s biggest rivers, used by over 2 billion people. 

Working together to reduce pollution 

This is where Clean Everest came in. In 2016, Marion Chaygneaud-Dupuy, a French mountain guide who has been living in Tibet for 18 years, initiated an expedition to clean up the northeast route to the top of Mount Everest. Supported by the Chinese government and local mountain guides, the expedition is now an annual event with local yak owners taking waste from the collection points to base camp. In just 4 years, 10 tons have been collected. 

Clean Everest has also set up a model for waste management that can be replicated on other trails leading to the peaks of the Himalayas, based on a clean mountain charter, as well as providing training and support for guides and other locals. 

More information about Clean Everest? 

http://highland-initiatives.com/en/