Climbers to clean litter on Everest

Press, 23 January 1988, Page 38

Climbers to clean litter on Everest

NZPA-PA London A British expedition leaves for Mount Everest later this year - not to climb it but to clean it up. The newly-formed Survival Club, the first of its kind in Britain, plans to spend about three weeks round the highest mountain’s base camp "clearing up the mountains of rubbish” that have accumulated from scores of previous expeditions. “It’s an exciting, if rather daunting task which will last six weeks, including the walk in from Katmandu,” said the director and mountaineer, John Barry. Mr Barry has just returned from an expedition to K2, the world’s second highest mountain.

There are hundreds of discarded gas canisters and oxygen cylinders among the Everest debris. Over the years the amount of litter has increased and there is enough to build a house. "At least 20 people have already agreed to go, paying their own way,” he said.

The club, which has attracted hundreds of members, is negotiating with the Nepalese Government about the best way to deal with the litter.

Portable incinerators may be carried in to get rid of everything that will burn, and explosives might be used to blast a hole in the frozen earth to bury the rest.