The drones currently flying over the Asian mountain range are part of a new project aimed at removing ten tons of waste from the area. This waste, which glows on the ice, serves as irrefutable evidence of the impact of human contamination on even the most remote locations.
For the first time, Nepalese authorities are using drones to clean up the mountain. Prior to this initiative, the daunting task of removing waste fell upon Sherpas, an ethnic group living in the mountainous regions of Nepal, and members of the army. They had to navigate through treacherous icefalls while carrying large amounts of garbage with them.
Jagat Prasad Bhusal, an administrative director overseeing waste removal on Nepal’s side of the mountain, expressed his gratitude for alleviating the burden on Sherpas who were risking their lives to transport waste. The use of drones is being piloted for the first time and if successful, these aircraft will be fully utilized to transport garbage from Camp II in future seasons.
The accumulation of waste on Everest has led to it being dubbed “the highest garbage dump in the world.” To address this growing pollution issue, Nepal implemented measures in 2014 requiring climbers to descend from
