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Yeti Airlines to airlift 100 tons of waste to clean up Everest in 2018



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LUKLA, March 20: Yeti Airlines in partnership with Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), Himalaya Club and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has formally initiated the process to airlift 100 tons of non-biodegradable wastes from the Everest region to be recycled in Kathmandu.

Organizing a function at Lukla Airport on Tuesday, the Airline flagged off its first flight for the clean-up campaign and shared information about the quantity of collected waste in various collection centers in the Everest region along with a time-bound plan to airlift them.

Yeti Airlines set the ambitious target of flying out 100 tons of waste from the Everest region in 2018 as part of its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly relating to responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), climate change (SDG13), biodiversity consumption (SDG 15) and partnership (SDG 17). The wastes will be taken to Kathmandu for recycling.

While the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), a local environmental conservation organization and the Himalaya Club Lukla, coordinates the collection of wastes in the Everest region, Blue Waste to Value, a recycling firm in Kathmandu recycles the wastes, as part of its agreement with SPCC. The wastes comprise of mostly empty beer bottles and cans, empty food tins, and discarded mountaineering and trekking equipment.

“It is our fight against environment degradation. Lukla is important to us as thousands of tourists visit the region. It is also in our interest to support this region. This campaign encourages to keep our Himalayas unspoiled,” said Umesh Chandra Rai, CEO, Yeti Airlines.

“I would like to congratulate Yeti Airlines for taking up the initiative to clean up one of world’s most treasured tourist hotspots, the Everest region. Activities such as this will help promote a culture of ethical and responsible business, while ultimately contributing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” said UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Valerie Julliand. “We recognize the business community as an important partner in our effort to promote the SDGs and call for their proactive engagement in the country’s sustainable development.”

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