KATHMANDU
The Mountain Cleaning Campaign 2022, led by the Nepali Army has successfully concluded the halfway mark of waste collection from 4 mountains including the Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Manaslu, and Mt. Kanchenjunga. Various organizations have joined hands for the noble cause, with The Coca-Cola Foundation as the major corporate partner for the campaign. The campaign expediting team comprises of a total of 77 dedicated members which includes Nepal Army personnel and Sherpa supporters. Around 1,100 climbers visit these 4 mountains annually which are above 8000 meters and unfortunately, they leave behind waste which has created a mammoth of waste management problem in the mountains.
To tackle this problem, the Mountain Clean-Up campaign commenced its journey on April 5th and has so far collected 29,998 Kg of waste all together from the 4 mountains (5,204 Kg of Bio-degradable and 24,794 Kg of Non-Bio-degradable).The waste retrieved from the mountains by the team comprises of discarded empty oxygen canisters, abandoned tents, food containers, plastics, glass, aluminum, electronic waste among others.The expediting team continues to complete the campaign with the aim of collecting 35,000 Kgs from the mountains.
Speaking on the ongoing clean-up campaign, the Campaign Director of the Mountain Cleaning Campaign 2022 shared, “The journey to the mountains has been challenging due to extreme weather conditions, injuries and high-risk situations. Keeping the safety of our expedition team members as a top priority, we are pleased to come so far in our journey so far and will be giving our best to safely and successfully complete the campaign”.
Mountain Clean-up Campaign is one of the largest mountain clean-ups in the world an initiative led by the Nepal Army and a diverse set of stakeholders. This is the 3rd edition of the clean-up campaign and The Coca-Cola Foundation has been a major partner of the campaign for 3 consecutive years. The campaign is aimed at conserving the nature and environment of the Himalayas and minimizing the effects of climate change by cleaning up the targeted 4 mountains. The theme for the campaign this year is “An endeavor to save the Himalayas; Our Mountains, Our Responsibility”.
The teams are working in close co-ordination with the local government, local stakeholders and all the concerned partners. Upon completion of the waste collection activities, the waste collected will be handed over to the recycling partner for further recycling. The campaign will draw to a close on June 5 which is World Environment Day.
About The Coca-Cola Foundation
The Coca-Cola Foundation: Established in 1984, The Coca-Cola Foundation has invested more than $1.2 billion around the world to protect the environment, empower women to thrive and to enhance the overall well-being of people and communities.
