It will take years to clear the camp on Everest.

Kathmandu, Nepal.– The highest camp on Mount Everest is covered in garbage that will take years to clear, according to a Sherpa who led a team working to clear debris and extract bodies that have been frozen for years near its summit.

A team of soldiers and Sherpas, funded by the Nepalese government, removed 11 tons (24,000 pounds) of trash, four bodies and a skeleton from Mount Everest during this year’s climbing season.

Ang Babu, who led the Sherpa team, said there could be 40 to 50 tons (88,000 to 110,000 pounds) of waste at the South Col, the last camp before climbers attempt to reach the summit of the world’s highest mountain.

“The trash left there mostly consists of old tents, some food containers, gas cylinders, oxygen cylinders, tent storage bags and ropes used to climb and tie down the tents,” he added, adding that the waste was found in layers and frozen at an altitude of 8,000 metres (26,400 feet) where the South Col camp is located.

Since the summit was first conquered in 1953, thousands of climbers have climbed it.

In recent years, the government’s requirement that mountaineers return their waste or lose its deposits, coupled with a growing awareness among climbers about respecting the environment, has led to a significant reduction in the waste they leave on the mountain. This did not happen in previous decades.

“Most of the waste comes from old missions,” said Ang Babu.

The team’s Sherpas cleared debris and bodies from higher areas, while soldiers worked at lower levels and in the base camp area for weeks during the popular spring climbing season, when weather conditions are most favorable.