His face looked sunburned and weathered from years of high altitude. A man wearing a black cap and gaunt after weeks at 6,000 meters arrived in Kathmandu last week. He is Nepal's first 'mountain ranger', Nigma Wangchu Sherpa.

The title may seem strange to many. But on Everest, this role could prove to be very important. Decades of commercial climbing have left the Everest region with a huge amount of garbage and human excrement. Nigma Wangchu, 53, spent weeks at Camp 2 this season of Everest climbing. In this area, which is about 6,400 meters above sea level, he regulates waste management, teaches climbers and helps in emergencies.

‘When I first saw him from a distance, the climbers thought he was another guide like them. But, many of them were reluctant to come near where I was. Because my jacket had ‘Mountain Ranger’ written on it,’ he said with a laugh, ‘Many climbers started recognizing me from this season. I didn’t want to scare them. But, I wanted to make them feel like I was monitoring their activities like a police officer.’

The Everest Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) has started the Mountain Ranger program from this season. The initiative was started after criticism increased about the accumulation of garbage on the world’s highest peak. For the first time, the SPCC has established an Everest Rangers base at Camp-2.

Climbers are required to carry at least 2 kg of garbage from above Camp-2 (especially Camp-3 and Camp-4). Four-time Everest climber Nigma Wangchu Sherpa has been given the responsibility of monitoring it.

‘We collect the waste brought by climbers, weigh it and put it in bags. Then, we issue a clearance chit,’ he said. ‘The waste collected in this way is taken to Camp-1 and from there it is dropped to the base camp via drone.’

Wangchu says this responsibility is different from the work he has done before. ‘This is my first experience as a ranger. We not only collect waste. We also encourage climbers to keep Everest clean,’ he said. ‘We also provide services in emergencies. We supply oxygen bottles to climbers who are in higher camps or who need to be rescued. The challenges here are numerous.’

Decades of professional climbing have transformed Mount Everest into the world's highest 'dump site'. Every climbing season, hundreds of climbers, Sherpas, guides and support staff leave oxygen cylinders, tents, ropes, food packets, gas cans and excrement here. These materials remain in the snow for years. They are released when the ice begins to melt.

More than 300 people have died here since the record of climbing Everest began. Of these, about 200 bodies are in the area known as the 'death zone' above 8,000 meters. Plastic has become the biggest threat here. A plastic bag can take centuries to decompose. Chocolate shells, energy gel packets or other materials discarded after use during climbing gradually begin to break down due to intense ultraviolet radiation, extreme cold and strong winds. When this is scattered, microplastics are formed. Which pollutes the snow, waterfalls or drinking water sources in the Khumbu region. Even the smallest piece of garbage causes great damage in the long run.

The challenge of cleaning up Everest is not limited to discarded tents, oxygen cylinders or food packets. More than 300 people have died here since the record of climbing Everest began. Of these, about 200 bodies are in the area known as the 'death zone' above 8,000 meters. Due to the high altitude, harsh weather and difficult geography, bringing bodies from here is one of the most dangerous tasks of climbing.

Removing bodies from these higher camps is challenging and expensive. Because it requires little wind and a large number of manpower.

According to climbing officials, it costs between $20,000 and $200,000 to bring a body down from Everest. The price is determined by the location of the body and the complexity of the operation. “Due to the complexity and high cost of rescue, most climbers’ bodies remain on Everest,” said Tshering Sherpa, chief executive officer of the SPCC. “Some families want the body to remain on Everest. Some want it back but cannot afford the necessary expenses. This remains a real challenge when it comes to cleaning Everest.”

For these reasons, policymakers are considering making stricter rules for climbing operators.

Under the new proposed law, climbing operators must have insurance coverage from a licensed company before starting a climb. Insurance coverage includes personal accident insurance, health insurance, search and rescue insurance, and body recovery and management insurance.

The proposal is part of a larger effort to address both environmental and safety concerns on Everest. The growing number of climbers is putting pressure on the mountain's deteriorating ecosystem and rescue infrastructure.

The presence of mountain rangers is just the first step for the SPCC. Along with waste collection, future conservation efforts will focus on solving long-standing problems (e.g., wild equipment, human excrement, and a growing number of dead bodies).

As the number of climbers continues to grow, Everest, known as the world's most challenging climbing destination, has become a symbol of environmental neglect. ‘The mountain is not just a mountain,’ said Tshering Sherpa, ‘it is our God. It is connected to our lives. It is our responsibility to keep it clean.’ He added, ‘The mountain has great importance in our community. It sustains high-value tourism,’ he said.

The concept of rangers was launched in 2024 after SPCC officials evaluated the Everest expedition.

‘For decades, we have talked about garbage,’ said Tshering, ‘people have criticized the pollution of Everest on social media. We felt we should go there ourselves and understand the situation,’ he said, ‘there is garbage above Camp 2. It is a reality. But it is also very difficult to bring it down. Waste management at such altitudes is dangerous and often life-threatening.’

Pressure is mounting on Everest due to the increasing number of climbers. This season, Nepal issued a record 495 permits for foreign climbers. At least one guide is required for each climber. By May 29, the last day of this climbing season, more than 1,000 people, including climbers, had reached the summit.

‘With such a large number of people reaching the summit, anyone can guess the amount of waste generated at the upper camps,’ said Tshering.

The waste data collected by the SPCC shows how dire the situation is. This spring, the SPCC collected 1.22 tonnes of non-recyclable waste from Camp 3 and South Col. The teams also brought down 210 empty gas cans, a portable stove and 1.76 tonnes of human excrement bags from the upper area.

In addition, 6.52 tonnes of waste (plastic, metal cans, paper, kitchen waste, tents, ropes and other climbing materials) were brought to the SPCC’s Khumbu Icefall checkpoint. “The amount of waste collected at the base camp is yet to be measured,” Tshering said.

This problem is not limited to one season. In 2024, the SPCC collected 85 tonnes of waste. Of this, about 28 tonnes was human excrement. In addition, the Nepal Army removed an additional 11 tonnes of waste. In 2025, the amount collected by the SPCC reached 110 tonnes.

Due to increasing environmental pressure, the organization introduced strict waste-return provisions this year.

According to the new rules, every climber and altitude worker must bring back at least 2 kg of waste from areas above Camp 2. This waste must be handed over to the mountain rangers there before descending from Camp 2. The program is just the beginning.

“We started with 2 rangers this year,” Tshering said. “We plan to increase the number of rangers to 7 or 8 next year.”

The organization plans to expand the cleanup campaign to Camp 4 and above, where garbage has accumulated for decades.

The ranger program also supports the existing rule that climbers must bring back a total of 8 kg of waste to Everest Base Camp. Before getting a permit, climbers must pay a $4,000 deposit for waste management. This money is refundable if waste management standards are met. Nepal is considering tougher standards. A 2024 Supreme Court ruling ordered authorities to find a long-term solution to protect Everest and protect climbers. Since then, a government bill has called for the deposit to be converted into a non-refundable environmental fee. The bill says the money will be used to run a long-term cleanup program on Everest and protect the environment in the Himalayan region. The government has also increased the climbing fee. Since the new rules came into effect last September, foreign climbers have been paying a fee of $15,000 per person to obtain a permit to climb the southern face. Previously, climbers had been paying a fee of $11,000.