Climbers after climbing the highest mountain in the world, Everest, will now be required to bring their excrement in special bags back to the base camp.
This is how the Nepalese authorities responded to the growing number of complaints about the amount of human waste littering the routes to the mountain, which cannot decompose naturally due to extremely low temperatures, the BBC writes.
“Our mountains have started to stink… We are receiving complaints that human excrement is visible on the fireplaces and some climbers are sick. This is unacceptable and undermines our image,” said Pasang Lhamu Village Municipality Chairman Mingma Sherpa.
The new rule will reportedly come into effect ahead of the start of Nepal’s climbing season, which runs from March to May. Climbers will be required to purchase excrement bags at base camp, which will be “checked upon return.” Each person will be allocated two reusable bags. The bags will contain chemicals that solidify human waste and significantly reduce odor.
The rule will apply to climbers who conquer Mount Everest and Lhotse, connected by the so-called South Saddle. According to the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, around three tons of human waste are currently scattered between the first camp, located at the base of Everest, and the fourth camp, which is located in the South Saddle closer to the summit. Moreover, half of this number is in the Southern Saddle.