World · Singapore Bureau
Human waste accelerating glacier melt at Everest Base Camp
A new study reveals that human urine contributes significantly to the thawing of the Khumbu Glacier in Nepal, with an estimated 154,000 kilograms of ice melting annually due to the presence of climbers and support staff at the world's highest mountain.
LSN Singapore ·
Research into the environmental impact of mountaineering operations on Mount Everest has identified an unexpected contributor to glacier degradation: human urine left behind at base camp facilities. The dark-coloured urine absorbs more solar radiation than surrounding ice and snow, accelerating localised melting in the fragile high-altitude ecosystem.
The Khumbu Glacier, which feeds the base camp where thousands of climbers and porters gather each climbing season, is already experiencing significant retreat due to climate change. The additional thermal input from organic waste compounds the pressures on this critical water source for communities downstream.
Everest Base Camp hosts hundreds of people during peak climbing seasons, creating considerable waste management challenges at altitudes above 5,300 metres. While human urine accounts for the 154,000-kilogram annual melt figure, the study underscores broader concerns about the environmental footprint of large-scale mountaineering operations in the Himalayas.
Nepal's tourism authorities and climbing operators have increasingly focused on improving waste management practices on the mountain. The findings add to growing calls for stricter environmental protocols at high-altitude mountaineering sites, particularly as climate change continues to stress these sensitive alpine environments.