Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Anil Kumar Sinha has approved a new five-year mountain cleaning work plan (2082-2086).

The new procedure has been prepared by the Ministry of Tourism and will be implemented in accordance with the Supreme Court's mandate on cleaning Everest.

According to the strategy submitted to Minister Sinha by Tourism Secretary Mukund Niraula on Sunday, waste and excrement left by climbers on Everest and other peaks above 8,000 meters will be collected and managed in a systematic manner. 

The new procedure is particularly focused on maintaining cleanliness on Everest, Lhotse and other open mountains.

The Nepal government has been conducting a mountain cleaning campaign since 2019 with the participation of the Nepal Army, local levels and NGOs. The new procedure aims to make the campaign more systematic and ensure coordination between local bodies, the army and stakeholders. Climbers from the mountains  Mandatory return of waste, ensuring the necessary infrastructure and technology for waste management, classification, collection, processing and disposal, and ensuring proper remuneration and insurance by directly involving the Nepali Army, local bodies, NGOs and climbers. This procedure for environmental protection also suggests measures to maintain biodiversity and environmental cleanliness in the Himalayan region. It also includes programs to spread awareness about mountain cleaning and waste management among climbers and local people for community awareness.

Minister Sinha had made this first decision after assuming office, stating that since the mountains are the identity of Nepal, it is everyone's duty to ensure a garbage-free mountain and a clean environment.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had ordered the government to protect nature regarding the cleaning of Mount Everest. The new procedure has paved the way for putting that mandate into practice. Nepal's mountains are not only centers of tourism, but are also considered important for climate and water resource conservation.

Due to mountain climbing, garbage is increasing in the mountains, clothes, shoes, oxygen cylinders, plastics, used cans and used ropes left by climbers are piling up on the mountains.

A clean-up campaign for mountain garbage management began in 1953. The second clean-up campaign was held in 2000-2007 under the leadership of Japanese climber Ken Neguchi. From 2008 to 2019, a clean-up campaign was conducted on Everest and Lhotse in collaboration with Asian Trekking, the Nepali Army and local bodies. In 2011, climbers collected 8.1 metric tons of garbage from the Everest base camp to an altitude of 8,700 meters. In 2019-2024, 1,19,056 kg of garbage and 12 human bodies were collected under the Nepali Army's Clean Mountain Campaign.

Currently, garbage management is being carried out in the Khumbu region in collaboration with the Everest Pollution Control Committee and the local Sherpa community in the areas above the base camp. Climbers are making it mandatory to use poop bags for collecting excrement. In addition, a garbage management fee has also been implemented.