KATHMANDU, JUNE 9
Mountains have always been a source of pride for Nepal and around 175,000 tourists visit Nepal for mountain trekking and expedition each year. However, they also leave behind a massive waste management problem in the mountains.
Unilever believes that businesses simply cannot prosper without a healthy planet and society.
Transitioning to a circular economy approach is at the heart of Unilever's strategy for a waste free world.
In line with this, Unilever partnered with the Nepali Army for 'Clean Mountain Campaign-2022'.
Concentrating on the effort of team Kanchanjunga, which started on April 15 and finished on May 30, Unilever Nepal said the team successfully collected 3.02 tonnes biodegradable and 12.35 tonnes non-biodegradable waste, amounting to a total of 15.37 tonnes of waste from Mount Kanchanjunga in a 45 day expedition.
It is predicted that the plastic pollution crisis will surge between now and 2040 with twice as much virgin plastic created.
The solution is to change how nations use, recycle, and ultimately reduce plastic use.
To ensure the reuse of plastic collected during this campaign, Unilever has also tied up with Avni Ventures Pvt Ltd as a recycling partner.
Despite several challenges posed by change in weather, team Kanchanjunga's work picked up momentum and collected the targeted waste ahead of the stipulated timeline.
With this dedication, the team was able to collect more than 150 per cent of the targeted waste in the expedition.
This initiative was inspired by Unilever's Brand Surf Excel, which highlights that 'Dirt is Good'.
The mountain expedition team, which includes professional mountaineers and members of the Nepali Army, soiled their clothes to clean the mountain.
Unilever International partnered with the Nepali Army to support this effort.
A version of this article appears in the print on June 10, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
