Fluorescent tents, discarded climbing equipment, empty gas canisters and human excrement litter the well-trodden route to the 29,029ft high summit. Authorities last month suspended permits for all mountain expeditions over the coronavirus outbreak, forcing the Nepal army to cancel an ambitious clean-up on six mountains including Everest. Mountaineering organizations say that the coronavirus crisis is a good opportunity to clean-up what is sometimes called the world's highest garbage dump. Foreign climbers pay at least $30,000 to tackle Everest but locals say they pay little attention to their environmental fallout. Last year's spring climbing window, which normally starts in April, saw a record 885 people summit Everest.

Source: Dhaka Tribune April 10, 2020 13:18 UTC