10 Tonnes of Waste Cleared from Mount Everest on World Environment Day

10 Tonnes of Waste Cleared from Mount Everest on World Environment Day

Just when you thought that surely litter couldn’t get everywhere, ten tonnes of it has been collected from Mount Everest!

The Nepali government appointed a team that spent six weeks scouring the mountain for litter, almost 8000 metres up. They collected empty cans, bottles, plastic, and discarded climbing gear which is set to be recycled to make new items. Other items collected included tents, empty gas canisters, and even human waste. Yes, you read that right.

Global warming in recent years has meant that melting glaciers have begun to reveal the extent of the rubbish left behind over the years by climbers.

The rubbish was flown by helicopter to Kathmandu, where it was given to a recycling company during a ceremony that was staged to mark World Environment Day.

A spokesman for Nepal Tourism said that the rubbish will be sorted by hand and recycled into various new items including kitchen utensils.

The Nepali government has stepped up measures to tackle the litter that has been left on the mountain by an increasing number of climbers. Six years ago, the government started asking teams of climbers for a $4000 ‘rubbish deposit’ that would be refunded if they brought at least 8kg of waste back down with them. However, only half of the teams ever bring their trash back down with them.

World Environment Day 2019

Governments, big business, and communities around the world came together to mark World Environment Day on the 5th June. It’s the UN’s biggest annual environmental action event, and this year’s theme was ‘Beat Air Pollution.’ Events held across the globe called upon people to explore renewable technology and to take measures to improve the air quality in cities around the world. It’s estimated that around 6 billion people live in areas where the air is so polluted that it affects their health.

 

World Environment Day 2019

 

How was World Environment Day marked around the world?

  • An app was launched in Sarajevo that lets people know where the most polluted areas are so they can avoid them while they’re out walking or cycling.
  • The Festival of the Environment was held in Brussels to raise awareness about air pollution and what people can do to help.
  • In Kenya, there was a fashion show that showcased work from eco-conscious designers. There was also a bike ride through Nairobi followed by tree planting ceremonies and an art exhibition.
  • 150 trees were planted in Bahrain and there was a large cycling event.
  • In New York, there was a meeting of climate, health and building experts who discussed the global health repercussions of air pollution.
  • In Haiti and Mexico there was an environmental film festival.
  • In Brazil and Peru, there were huge commemorative bike rides.
  • Last, but certainly not least, the World Environment Day hosts China showcased a former mining and industrial wasteland that has been transformed into a healthy landscape, electrical buses in the city of Hangzhou, and a court which allows cases to be opened, adjourned, and mediated by video link rather than requiring people to add to carbon emissions by physically attending.

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