The Carry Me Back (CMB) project is a collaborative initiative by the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) and Sagarmatha Next, in collaboration with Sagarmatha National Park, Sagarmatha National Park Buffer Zone Management Committee, Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, Tara Air, Sita Air, and Blue Waste to Value.

This project enables trekkers, guides, and locals to voluntarily transport semi-processed recyclable waste—including aluminum cans, PET bottles, tins, and glass—from the upper Khumbu settlements like Namche and Pangboche to Lukla airport. From Lukla, the waste is airlifted to Kathmandu for proper recycling.

CMB was successfully tested in Autumn 2019. The project temporarily halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic was restarted in Spring 2022 and has been growing ever since.

Impact

Thanks to the support of Dell Reconnect, Bally Peak Outlook Foundation, and Kiehl’s, CMB has made a remarkable impact. As of 2024: 

🚶‍♂️19,002 volunteers have participated.

♻️ 27,481 bags of recyclable waste have been transported from upper Khumbu to Lukla.

Together, we can keep the Everest region clean—one step at a time!