OUTDOORSmagic reports that another 'clean up' expedition is on Everest this spring. A team led by Japanese climber, Ken Noguchi aims to bring down rubbish, oxygen bottles and dead bodies off the mountain. Everest has a long tradition of what one Kathmandu journalist has dubbed 'garbage hobbyists', who use the ecological bandwagon to raise massive sums to fund their organised trips. Most 'ecological teams' focus not only on removing rubbish from the mountain, but also try and nip in for a quick summit attempt whilst they're there.

According to Ed Douglas, writing in Trail magazine last month, the expedition has raised a huge $430,000 from Western sponsors. Compare this with the annual budget of Sagamartha Pollution Control, which has $40,000 to look after the whole of the Khumbu valley - an area which sees over 20,000 visitors a year.