A scheme to encourage climbers to bring their waste down from Mount Everest is being scrapped - with Nepalese authorities telling the BBC it has been a failure.
Climbers had been required to pay a deposit of $4,000 (£2964), which they would only get back if they brought at least 8kg (18lbs) of waste back down with them.
It was hoped it would begin to tackle the rubbish problem on the world's highest peak, which is estimated to be covered in some 50 tonnes of waste.
But after 11 years - and with the rubbish still piling up - the scheme is being shelved because it failed to show a tangible result.
Himal Gautam, director at the tourism department, told the BBC that not only had the garbage issue not gone away, but the deposit scheme itself had become an administrative burden.
Officials noted that most of the deposit money had been refunded over the years, suggesting that climbers generally brought down their trash. However, a significant portion of the waste remains at higher camps, complicating the cleanup efforts.
The new proposal involves a non-refundable clean-up fee that aims to enhance monitoring and accountability among climbers. Tourism officials hope this fee will also provide the necessary funding to address the critical waste management issue more effectively.
This shift arises amid growing concerns regarding sustainable mountaineering and the increasing number of climbers on Everest, averaging around 400 annually.
