Nearly 100 environmental protection volunteers are working on Mount Qomolangma until June 5, World Environment Day, to clean up garbage left by visitors.

"Climbers and tourists usually leave rubbish like sleeping bags, tents, oxygen bottles and waste fuel," said Gao Dengyi, senior researcher of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Atmospheric Physics Department and chairman of the China Scientific Exploration Association.

Mount Qomolangma, also known as Mt. Everest, is being polluted by mountain climbers, tourists, local people or even science researchers and explorers, according to Gao.

Every year, over 20,000 tourists visit and each leaves 220-320 grams of waste per day, which totals 44-64 tons if each of them spends 10 days there.

"Scientific exploration can also bring a threat to the environment of the mountain," said Gao, "In 1975, when Chinese scientists conducted investigations there, they left a lot of waste scattered around the base camp due to low awareness of environmental issues."

Between 1921 and the end of 1999, 615 tons of garbage were left on the mountain's glaciers, including human excrement. Even biodegradable materials take longer to degrade on the mountain due to its cold climate and aridity.

Gao suggested that tourist administrations should control tourist group members, especially during their high seasons in the spring and autumn.

Mount Qomolangma Nature Reserve organizes collectors every year to clean places below 6,500 meters in the mountain. For higher elevations, it selects volunteers who have passed physical examinations.

About 100,000 plastic bags have been donated to the reserve and will be dispatched to climbers and tourists to bring back their rubbish.

Since the 1990s, international volunteers have helped clear garbage; last year, teams from 12 different countries collected over 10 tons of garbage from between the altitudes of 5,200 meters and 8,300 meters. 

(China.org.cn by Unisumoon May 26, 2005)