Yes, human waste left by climbers on Mount Everest has become a problem causing pollution and threatening to spread disease on the world's highest peak and trust me, that's the last thing Nepal needs. More than 700 climbers and guides, who spend nearly two months on Everest's slopes each climbing season, allegedly, leave large amounts of feces and urine and the issue has never been addressed. According to the chief of Nepal's mountaineering association, Ang Tshering, Nepal's government needs to get climbers to dispose of their waste properly so the mountain can remain pristine. Um, it's a mountain. When you have to go, you have to go, right? Unless they start putting port-a-john's on Mount Everest, which would probably be a bad idea due to avalanches.
Hundreds of foreign climbers attempt to scale Everest during Nepal's mountaineering season, which began this week and runs through May. Last year's season was canceled after 16 local guides were killed in an avalanche in April. See? Port-a-johns are a bad idea! Climbers spend weeks acclimatizing around the four camps set up between the base camp at 5,300 meters and 8,850 meters. The camps have tents and some essential equipment and supplies, but do not have toilets. Tshering said, "Climbers usually dig holes in the snow for their toilet use and leave the human waste there." Apparently, the waste has been "piling up" for years now between the four camps.
Dawa Steven Sherpa, who has been leading Everest expeditions since 2008, said some climbers carry disposable travel toilet bags to use in the higher camps. He said, "It's a health hazard and the issue needs to be addressed." The government imposed some new rules last year requiring each climber to bring down to base camp 18 pounds of trash. The amount it estimates a climber discards along the route. Climbing teams must leave a $4,000 deposit, which they lose if they don't comply with regulations.
Mount Everest isn't the only mountain with this problem. The human waste problem also happens at Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. Now, can you imagine how bad that smells in the African heat? One idea I have for climbers is bring those doggie poop bags up with you pick up after yourself the way you pick up after your dog! I swear people are animals! I mean I get the fact that when you have to go, you have to go. Especially when you're climbing a majestic mountain like Everest, but it doesn't take much to clean up after yourself. It's so unsanitary and disgusting not to.
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