A critical evaluation of the Mt Everest garbage deposit scheme : A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master at Lincoln University

Abstract

Waste on Mt Everest is often treated as ‘out of sight, out of mind’ – discarded into the nearest receptacle and promptly forgotten. The accumulation of solid waste on the world’s highest mountain’s camping sites (Base Camp and high camps) has been a chronic problem since mountaineering first became popular in 1951 and has further intensified with the steady acceleration of mountaineering in the past four decades. The implementation of the Garbage Deposit Scheme (GDS) was a government intervention aimed at solving waste management issues on Mt Everest. The evaluation of the GDS is important to understanding whether the results achieved correspond to the policy goals and to identifying obstacles to and outlining strategies for any necessary improvements. Such a study has not been conducted. This study assesses the effectiveness of the GDS. Empirical analysis was carried out to evaluate whether waste management on Mt Everest has improved. The findings suggest that the GDS has not accomplished the desired objectives in waste management, particularly because of its low level of acceptance among stakeholders and low level of government support. This study highlights major obstacles to the GDS’s implementation. The study concludes with recommendations that could improve the scheme.