Let's Keep Khumbu Clean
The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) is committed to managing waste, promoting environmental sustainability, and addressing the impacts of climate change and global warming in the Everest region. SPCC also aims to develop the Khumbu Valley as a research hub for climate change studies, leveraging its unique high-altitude environment. Additionally, it manages waste bins, organizes clean-up campaigns, and oversees the ICEFALL DOCTOR team to ensure the protection of the region’s fragile ecosystem.
Mission
With successful ascent of Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenjing Norgay Sherpa in 1953, Khumbu Region has become a popular tourist destination attracting thousands of mountaineers and trekkers from around the globe. In absence of a concrete rules and regulations as for the disposal of garbage generated by tourists, there had been a serious concern over solid waste management issues in late 1980’s. This led to the formation of a local environmental organization named ‘Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee’ (SPCC) – a non-profit and non-governmental organization established in 1991 by the people of Khumbu with support from WWF Nepal and Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA). SPCC is legally registered under the District Administration Office in Solukhumbu district (Registration no- 20) and also registered with Social Welfare Council (Registration no-10989).
With successful ascent of Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenjing Norgay Sherpa in 1953, Khumbu Region has become a popular tourist destination attracting thousands of mountaineers and trekkers from around the globe. In absence of a concrete rules and regulations as for the disposal of garbage generated by tourists, there had been a serious concern over solid waste management issues in late 1980’s. This led to the formation of a local environmental organization named ‘Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee’ (SPCC) – a non-profit and non-governmental organization established in 1991 by the people of Khumbu with support from WWF Nepal and Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA). SPCC is legally registered under the District Administration Office in Solukhumbu district (Registration no- 20) and also registered with Social Welfare Council (Registration no-10989).
Vision
With successful ascent of Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenjing Norgay Sherpa in 1953, Khumbu Region has become a popular tourist destination attracting thousands of mountaineers and trekkers from around the globe. In absence of a concrete rules and regulations as for the disposal of garbage generated by tourists, there had been a serious concern over solid waste management issues in late 1980’s. This led to the formation of a local environmental organization named ‘Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee’ (SPCC) – a non-profit and non-governmental organization established in 1991 by the people of Khumbu with support from WWF Nepal and Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA). SPCC is legally registered under the District Administration Office in Solukhumbu district (Registration no- 20) and also registered with Social Welfare Council (Registration no-10989).
With successful ascent of Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenjing Norgay Sherpa in 1953, Khumbu Region has become a popular tourist destination attracting thousands of mountaineers and trekkers from around the globe. In absence of a concrete rules and regulations as for the disposal of garbage generated by tourists, there had been a serious concern over solid waste management issues in late 1980’s. This led to the formation of a local environmental organization named ‘Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee’ (SPCC) – a non-profit and non-governmental organization established in 1991 by the people of Khumbu with support from WWF Nepal and Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA). SPCC is legally registered under the District Administration Office in Solukhumbu district (Registration no- 20) and also registered with Social Welfare Council (Registration no-10989).
Our Values
Keeping Khumbu Area Clean
The “Mt. Everest Clean-Up Campaign – 2019” is the largest joint cleanup initiative made to retrieve discarded garbage and dead bodies from Mt. Everest. Themed “Clean Our Pride”, the campaign aims to preserve the sanctity of the world’s highest mountain and keep it pristine
Keep Sagarmatha Clear
The “Mt. Everest Clean-Up Campaign – 2019” is the largest joint cleanup initiative made to retrieve discarded garbage and dead bodies from Mt. Everest. Themed “Clean Our Pride”, the campaign aims to preserve the sanctity of the world’s highest mountain and keep it pristine
Solid Waste Management
With the aim of building a more effective waste collection system along the Region’s trekking trails, SPCC has started to build permanent garbage bins along the trails since 2013. Each bin has segregation chambers to collect trash by categories so that these wastes will be properly treated and managed accordingly. SPCC built a total of 119 garbage bins and has been overseeing the maintenance and management of all garbage bins. A total of 109 garbage bins were built at various resting points along the trekking trails and 10 garbage bins were built at nine schools located within Khumbu Region.
SPCC is the lead organization working to manage waste in Khumbu Region, which form the Sagarmatha National Park and its Buffer Zone and also encompass the core Everest trekking area. Our working area covers all five wards of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality. Since 1997, the SPCC has been contracted by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) to set the climbing route through the Khumbu Icefall each year. The SPCC also works to check climbing permits, monitor illegal climbing, and implement waste management strategies at the base camps of the Khumbu area’s mountains and peaks including Mt. Everest.We also manage garbage in settlements and along trekking trails in direct coordination with local communities. We conduct all waste management activities including building of waste management infrastructures, waste collection, segregation and treatment/disposal. Currently, we focus on developing sustainable waste management strategies with a long-term goal of keeping Khumbu clean.
