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Everest's Trash Woes: Deposit Scheme Ditched!
8 Jan
Summary
- Nepal abandoned the $4000 refundable deposit for waste removal.
- The old scheme failed to reduce garbage accumulation on Everest.
- A new plan includes "Mountain Rangers" and drone waste collection.
Nepal has officially abandoned its long-standing refundable waste deposit scheme for Mount Everest climbers. The previous system, requiring a $4000 deposit returned upon bringing back 8 kg of waste, proved ineffective in managing the growing garbage problem on the mountain.
Administrative challenges at high altitudes and climbers' tendency to reclaim deposits with easily accessible "easy trash" undermined the scheme's effectiveness. Despite a decade of its existence, waste accumulation of containers and cylinders continued, with no checkpoints above the Khumbu Icefall making verification nearly impossible.
A new Clean Mountain Strategy (2025-2029) is now in effect, proposing a Rs 308 million fund, though experts estimate costs will exceed Rs 1 billion. This plan includes "Mountain Rangers" for monitoring, drone waste collection, and a GPS tracking system for climbers, alongside a non-refundable environmental fee.
