The world’s highest peak and a unique challenge for those daring enough to climb it, Mount Everest has been experiencing a significant, yet previously unheard-of issue. Due to increasing expeditions attempting to reach the peak of Everest, there is an unprecedented amount of human waste piling up around the mountain.

According to Washington University, over 500 people attempt to climb Mount Everest a year. This is especially high when compared to the 14 attempts from 1920 to 1953. Along with this increase in climbers, there comes a problematic situation of how every year about 26.5 thousand pounds of solid waste is left by hikers every year. Climbers have described to National Geographic that there are “pyramids” of human excrement. 

This raises the question for those who care about the state of Everest and the people living around it: how can all of this waste be properly disposed of? At the extreme height of Everest, the decomposition of human waste is significantly slowed down because of the extremely cold temperatures. This means that all this waste can seriously accumulate posing a threat to the environment of Everest. If not disposed of correctly, the waste can lead to contamination of water which can create serious concern for climbers, the delicate ecology of Everest, as well as those who live around it. According to National Geographic, a study found that half of Gorakshep (a village near Mount Everest) water sources were contaminated with human feces from the runoff when climbers do their business along their hike.

Historically, climbers have just decided to deposit this waste into crevasses or snow pits, but the sharp increase in how many people are climbing makes this practice extremely concerning due to the sheer amount of waste. So in recent years, people have attempted to mitigate the environmental impact of this waste by implementing regulations and guidelines such as making people bring all non-biodegradable waste, along with human waste, down from higher camps. However, there are obvious complications that include the enforcement of these regulations and educating every climber on the importance of proper waste management.

Along with the previous regulations, the Mount Everest Biogas Project was launched in 2010 to mitigate damage from organic waste by utilizing single-celled organisms to ferment organic matter and turn it into usable gas as well as fertilizer which will help eliminate human waste, lessen water contamination, provide heat to villages, create local jobs, and overall create a more sustainable Everest for future generations to enjoy.