Human urine deposited by climbers and support staff on Mount Everest's Khumbu Glacier may be contributing to ice melt, according to a study by Nepal's Survey Department. Researchers calculated that the urine alone could have melted more than 150 tons of ice during the spring 2023 season, when over 2,000 people were stationed at Everest Base Camp.
Mount Everest's Base Camp is situated at an altitude of 17,598 feet on the Khumbu Glacier, the highest glacier in the world. Scientists focused on the environmental impact of the increasing human activity at the camp over recent decades. While human fecal matter has been collected in barrels since 2003, urine has historically been released directly onto the ice.
"Human urine is released directly onto the ice at high altitudes, where the ice temperature consistently remains below 0°C," the researchers stated. "Urine, with a temperature of around 37°C (human body temperature), causes the ice to melt."
During the spring 2023 season, researchers estimated an average daily urine output of approximately 3.181 liters per person. With an estimated 2,127 people staying at base camp for an average of 50 days, the total urine discharge was calculated to be around 338,299 liters. Theoretically, this volume of urine could generate enough heat to melt 154 tons of ice.
However, the study authors noted that this figure represents an upper bound. The calculation assumes all the heat from the urine is transferred to the ice, which may not occur in practice due to factors like heat loss through percolation into debris, runoff, and incomplete heat transfer.
Relocation and Waste Management Concerns
The study's findings have prompted researchers to call for the relocation of Everest Base Camp to an ice-free area. "Relocating the base camp to an ice-free site could help to mitigate human-induced glacier melt while fostering more sustainable mountaineering practices," they explained, adding that such a move could also enhance expedition safety and contribute to a more resilient mountain ecosystem.
The rapid melting of glaciers in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region is a significant environmental concern with global implications, including contributions to rising sea levels.
This issue of waste management on Everest comes amid ongoing challenges with littering. A previous scheme introduced in 2014 aimed to curb waste by requiring climbers to pay a deposit, which would be refunded if they brought back a minimum amount of rubbish. However, the program reportedly faced difficulties, with climbers allegedly finding ways to cheat the system. According to Tshering Sherpa, CEO of the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, climbers have sometimes collected trash from lower camps rather than the higher camps where most waste accumulates, leading to a continued problem with refuse, including oxygen bottles, tents, and food packaging.