Everest Poop Problem: Poo Bag Rules, How Climbers Go to the Toilet and the Waste Clean-Up (2026)
Since the spring 2024 season, every climber on the Nepal side of Everest and Lhotse must use biodegradable "poo bags" above Base Camp and bring their human waste back down for disposal. The rule was introduced by the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, which said it would be permanent, after years of complaints that human waste was visible on rocks and contaminating snow that climbers melt for drinking water. Before the rule, the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) estimated there were around three tonnes of human excrement between Camp 1 and Camp 4, about half of it at the South Col. At Base Camp, toilet tents sit over barrels that are carried out and emptied. The bags contain a powder that gels and deodorises waste, and they are checked by local officials on return. Similar systems have been used for years on Aconcagua, Denali and Mount Rainier.
Everest waste rules at a glance | Fact | Detail | |---|---| | Poo bag rule | Mandatory above Base Camp on Everest and Lhotse since spring 2024 | | Set by | Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality | | Managed with | Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) | | Estimated waste before the rule | About 3 tonnes between Camp 1 and Camp 4; about half at the South Col (SPCC estimate) | | Bags issued per climber (2024 plan) | Two bags, each usable five or six times | | Base Camp toilets | Toilet tents with barrels, emptied and carried away | | 2026 rubbish rule | Each climber must bring back 2 kg of waste from high camps, plus 8 kg from Base Camp | | Waste collected, spring 2026 | 90,329 kg, including 9,750 kg from above Base Camp | | Everest garbage deposit | US$4,000 per expedition team, refundable |
The "butterflies" of the mountains
On a long Aconcagua expedition many years ago, I noticed small white shapes dancing in the freezing wind around me. Our guide called them "Aconcagua butterflies". They were not butterflies. They were scraps of toilet paper, blown out from under rocks where climbers had left their waste. Our team was one of the few carrying its own waste bags at the time. Since then, Aconcagua has enforced strict waste rules, and the same change is now happening on Everest and other popular peaks.
Why human waste became a problem on Everest
Climbing Everest takes six to nine weeks, much of it spent at Base Camp and on rotations to higher camps. Climbers eat a lot to keep their energy up, and every expedition includes many support staff as well as clients. At Base Camp, waste is collected in barrels. But above Base Camp, until recently, most people simply went to the toilet in the snow or behind a rock.
At extreme altitude, waste does not break down. Temperatures are too low and there is too little biological activity. It freezes, is exposed by wind and melting snow, and stays on the mountain for years. Climbers then collect snow from the same areas to melt for drinking water and cooking, which creates a real health risk.
The chairman of the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality summed it up in 2024: "Our mountains have begun to stink," he told the BBC, adding that the municipality was receiving complaints that stools were visible on rocks and that some climbers were falling sick.
The 2024 poo bag rule
In early 2024, the rural municipality, which covers most of the Everest region, announced that climbers on Everest and Lhotse must bring their waste back to Base Camp. The SPCC procured around 8,000 bags for an expected 400 foreign climbers and 800 support staff. Its plan was based on an average of about 250 g of waste per person per day and around two weeks on the upper mountain, so each person received two bags that could each be used five or six times.
Reports from Base Camp during the season said the rule was being enforced. Municipal representatives visited camps to check that teams had bags, sold bags to teams that did not have them, and checked waste on return. Operators described the system as easy to comply with, because used bags go into collection barrels at Base Camp.
The rule was announced as a permanent change, and the municipality said violators could be penalised.
How does going to the toilet on Everest actually work?
| Place | Toilet system |
|---|---|
| Lodges on the trek to Base Camp | Lodge toilets, usually squat or western toilets |
| Everest Base Camp | Toilet tents over sealed barrels; waste is carried out by porters and disposed of lower in the valley |
| Camps 1 to 4 | Personal poo bags, used in a toilet tent or a sheltered spot, then sealed and carried down |
| Summit day | Very difficult; climbers in down suits use a drop seat or zip; urine is usually managed with pee bottles in tents |
Down suits for 8,000 m climbing are designed with zips or drop seats so that climbers can go to the toilet without removing the suit. Using a poo bag in a high wind at -25°C is not easy, which is one reason the rule took so long to introduce.
What is a poo bag (WAG bag)?
A WAG bag, short for "waste alleviation and gelling" bag, is a double bag kit containing a powder that solidifies liquid waste, neutralises odours and starts to break it down. The inner bag is used, sealed and placed inside a thicker outer bag, which is then carried down the mountain. Similar bags are used by the military, on long boat trips, in deserts and on other big mountains.
More rubbish rules: the 2026 season
Human waste is only part of the problem. Discarded tents, oxygen bottles, food packaging and climbing gear have built up on Everest for decades, giving the mountain the unwanted label "the world's highest rubbish dump".
Nepal requires each Everest expedition team to pay a refundable garbage deposit of US$4,000, returned when the team brings back its waste. For the 2026 season, the SPCC also required each climber to bring back 2 kg of rubbish from the high camps, in addition to 8 kg from Base Camp. In spring 2026, the SPCC reported collecting 90,329 kg of waste, including 9,750 kg from above Base Camp.
Data gathered by ExpedReview from news reports of the SPCC's figures and Nepal's Department of Tourism.
How other mountains manage human waste
| Mountain | System |
|---|---|
| Aconcagua, Argentina | Climbers receive numbered waste bags with their permit and must return them; base camps have toilet services run by providers |
| Denali, USA | The National Park Service issues Clean Mountain Cans (CMCs), reusable containers for human waste |
| Mount Rainier, USA | Climbers use "blue bags" above the high camps and deposit them in collection barrels |
| Kilimanjaro, Tanzania | Camp toilets and portable toilets carried by operators |
These systems show that waste rules work when they are simple, enforced and supported by collection points.
Packing for toilet stops on an expedition
A little preparation makes the system easy to follow, even at high camp.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Poo bags (WAG bags) | Mandatory above Base Camp; bring spares in case your operator runs short |
| Pee bottle (wide mouth, clearly marked) | Avoids leaving the tent at night in the cold and wind |
| Female urination device | Useful for women on summit day and in high winds |
| Toilet paper in a sealed bag | Used paper goes into the poo bag, not into the snow |
| Hand sanitiser | Stomach bugs spread fast in camps and can end an expedition |
| Down suit with drop seat or zip | Lets you use the toilet without removing your suit |
Hygiene matters as much as the environment. Gastrointestinal illness is one of the most common reasons climbers lose strength at Base Camp. Wash or sanitise your hands before eating, use only treated or boiled water, and keep toilet areas well away from kitchen tents and snow collection points.
Myths and facts about waste on Everest
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| "Waste breaks down quickly in the mountains." | At high altitude it freezes and barely decomposes, so it stays for years. |
| "It's only a few climbers, so it doesn't matter." | Each season involves hundreds of foreign climbers and many more support staff, all on the same few camps. |
| "Burying waste in snow solves the problem." | Snow melts and blows away, exposing waste again, often where others collect water. |
| "Poo bags are impossible to use at altitude." | They take practice, but teams have used them on Denali, Aconcagua and Rainier for years, and Everest teams adapted quickly in 2024. |
The bigger picture in the Khumbu
Waste is not only a problem on the mountain. Tens of thousands of trekkers visit the Everest region each year, and lodges along the trail produce rubbish and sewage that must be managed in steep, remote valleys without roads. Local organisations, including the SPCC, run waste collection points and recycling schemes. Trekkers can help by carrying a refillable bottle and using purification instead of buying plastic bottles, by taking batteries and packaging home, and by choosing operators that support local clean-up work. ExpedReview's Everest Base Camp trek page lists trekking operators ranked by verified reviews.
What climbers can do
- Choose an operator with a clear waste policy, including toilet tents at high camps and a plan for carrying bags down.
- Pack enough bags and practise using them before the expedition.
- Use the toilet at Base Camp or camps whenever possible, rather than on the route.
- Never leave waste near water sources or places where snow is collected for melting.
- Bring back everything you carry up, including empty oxygen bottles, food packaging and batteries.
- Support porters and local staff who carry waste down, through fair pay and tips.
Why this matters for Everest's future
The Khumbu is home to Sherpa communities whose water comes from the same glaciers and rivers. Sagarmatha National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Climbers, operators and local authorities share responsibility for keeping it clean. The poo bag rule is a small change in daily routine with a large effect over thousands of climbers and support staff.
When you choose an Everest operator, ask how they handle waste at every camp. ExpedReview's Everest South Col rankings show operators ranked by verified climber reviews, and the Everest cost guide explains what expedition prices include. For more on the wider issues facing the mountain, read the deadly obsession with Everest and how to climb Everest responsibly, or browse the Everest region.
Frequently asked questions
How do climbers poop on Everest?
At Base Camp, climbers use toilet tents over barrels. Above Base Camp, they must use biodegradable poo bags, which are sealed and carried down for disposal.
Do you have to bring your poop down from Everest?
Yes. Since the spring 2024 season, climbers on the Nepal side of Everest and Lhotse must bring their waste back to Base Camp in poo bags.
How much poop is on Everest?
Before the 2024 rule, the SPCC estimated about three tonnes of human waste between Camp 1 and Camp 4, around half of it at the South Col.
Who made the Everest poo bag rule?
The Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, the local government for most of the Everest region, working with the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee.
What is a WAG bag?
A waste alleviation and gelling bag: a double bag containing a powder that solidifies waste and reduces odour so that it can be carried out.
Is Everest polluted?
Everest has a long-standing rubbish problem, but clean-up rules, deposits and campaigns have removed large amounts of waste. In spring 2026, the SPCC reported collecting more than 90,000 kg.
How do you go to the toilet in a down suit?
8,000 m down suits have zips or drop seats designed so that climbers can go to the toilet without taking the suit off.
What happens to waste at Everest Base Camp?
It is collected in barrels and carried down the valley by porters for disposal.
Is there a toilet at Everest Base Camp?
Yes. Each expedition sets up toilet tents over sealed barrels, which are emptied and carried down the valley.
Do poo bag rules apply on the Tibet side of Everest?
The 2024 poo bag rule was set by Nepal's Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality for the Nepal side. The Tibet side is managed by Chinese authorities under separate rules.
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