A scheme to encourage climbers to bring their waste down from Mount Everest is being scrapped - with Nepalese authorities telling the BBC it has been a failure.
Climbers had been required to pay a deposit of $4,000 (£2964), which they would only get back if they brought at least 8kg (18lbs) of waste back down with them.
It was hoped it would begin to tackle the rubbish problem on the world's highest peak, which is estimated to be covered in some 50 tonnes of waste.
But after 11 years - and with the rubbish still piling up - the scheme is being shelved because it failed to show a tangible result.
Himal Gautam, director at the tourism department, told the BBC that not only had the garbage issue not gone away, but the deposit scheme itself had become an administrative burden.
Tourism ministry and mountaineering department officials told the BBC most of the deposit money had been refunded over the years - which should mean most climbers brought back their trash.
However, the scheme is said to have failed because the rubbish climbers have brought back is usually from lower camps - not the higher camps where the garbage problem is worst.
From higher camps, climbers often bring back oxygen bottles only, while items such as tents and food packaging are frequently left behind, contributing to the mounting waste.
Nepalese authorities are now considering a non-refundable clean-up fee to ensure a more effective waste management approach on the mountain.
Officials hope this new scheme will help in the ongoing battle against waste accumulation on Everest, as the significant increase in climbers poses a growing challenge for sustainable mountaineering.
