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There is a new rule about going to the toilet on Mount Everest. People climbing the world's highest peak will now have to take their own poo back to Base Camp. There has been an increase in the number of climbers on the mountain. This has led to a problem of human waste being left on the slopes. Mingma Sherpa, a local official, told the BBC: "Our mountains have begun to stink." He added: "We are getting complaints that human stools are visible on rocks, and some climbers are falling sick. This is not acceptable. It damages our image." The new rule requires climbers to buy a bio-degradable "poop bag". They can dispose of the bag and its contents when they come down from the mountain. It will be "checked" by workers there.
The problem of waste, litter and pollution on Mt Everest has been growing for years. Many people leave camping equipment on the slopes. Thousands of discarded cans of oxygen litter the mountain. An environmental organization estimated that there was around three tons of human poo between Base Camp and the summit of Everest. Much of this freezes and does not degrade. The India Today website said the poop bags will help with the waste problem. It wrote: "It is hoped that this measure, along with ongoing clean-up campaigns, will help restore the dignity of this iconic peak." It added that the waste bags would, "safeguard the health of both climbers and the local environment".
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