Mount Everest climbers must now buy poop bags and bring their waste down: ‘our mountains have begun to stink’

Authorities implemented the rule in response to a smelly, unsightly situation, as the extreme cold of Everest prevents faeces from fully degrading

At lower altitudes, climbers typically dig holes to dispose of waste. But at higher elevations, with limited snow cover, climbers often relieve themselves in the open

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A Nepalese sherpa collecting garbage, left by climbers, at an altitude of 8,000 metres during the Everest clean-up expedition at Mount Everest. Photo: AFP

Published: 12:00am, 9 Feb 2024

Climbers attempting to scale Mount Everest, the world’s tallest peak, will be ordered to buy poop bags and bring their waste back down with them for proper disposal, according to a new regulation.

Mingma Sherpa, the chairman of Pasang Lhamu rural municipality, which covers most of the Everest region, told BBC News that the new rule was introduced in response to unpleasant smells and unseemly sights in the area.

The extreme cold of Everest prevents faeces from fully degrading.

“Our mountains have begun to stink,” Sherpa told BBC News.

He added that it had also led to complaints that “human stools are visible on rocks and some climbers are falling sick,” which he said was damaging the municipality’s image.

At lower altitudes, climbers typically dig holes in the snow to dispose of waste. But at higher elevations, with limited snow cover, climbers are often forced to relieve themselves in the open, BBC News reported.