The Nepal Army has successfully completed another phase of the Clean Mountain Campaign, collecting 11 metric tons of waste, recovering four bodies, and retrieving one human skeleton from Nepal's high Himalayan region, including Mount Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse.
Launched in 2019, the Clean Mountain Campaign is an ongoing national initiative aimed at protecting Nepal's mountains and preserving the fragile Himalayan environment.
According to Sanjay Deuja, Assistant Director of the National Parks and Wildlife Reserve Directorate, the cleanup team collected a total of 11,000 kilograms (11 metric tons) of waste, including:
2,226 kg of biodegradable waste 8,774 kg of non-biodegradable waste
The biodegradable waste was handed over to the Everest Pollution Control Committee (EPCC) in Namche for proper management. The non-biodegradable waste was transported to Kathmandu and transferred to a recycling company for processing.
The Nepal Army also confirmed that the four recovered bodies and one human skeleton were handed over to TU Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj after the required legal procedures were completed.
The campaign lasted 55 days, beginning on April 1. During the operation, members of the cleanup team also successfully summited Mount Everest, demonstrating both environmental commitment and mountaineering excellence.
Since the campaign was launched in 2019, Nepal has removed approximately 180 metric tons of waste and recovered 12 bodies from major Himalayan peaks, including Mount Everest.
Logistics Support
Logistics coordination and mountain operations support were provided by Peak Promotion under the leadership of Sherpa Sardar Babu Sherpa, who played a key role in field coordination and expedition logistics throughout the campaign.
Protecting the Himalayas
The Clean Mountain Campaign continues to highlight the importance of responsible mountaineering and environmental conservation. Through sustained cleanup efforts and collaboration among government agencies, local organizations, and expedition teams, the initiative aims to preserve Nepal's iconic Himalayan peaks for future generations.
