Unilever Collaborates with Nepal Army to ensure cleaner mountains; Over 15 Tons of solid waste collected from Mt. Kanchanjunga
Mountains have always been a symbol and pride of Nepal and around 1,75,000 tourists visit Nepal for mountain trekking and expedition each year. However, they also leave behind waste which has created 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 Nepal Army for "Clean Mountain Campaign-2022.
Concentrating on the effort of team Kanchanjunga, which started on 15th April 2022 and finished the expedition on 30th of May 2022, Unilever Nepal is now proud to announce that the team has successfully collected 3.02 ton biodegradable and 12.35 ton non-biodegradable, a total of 15.37 tons 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 usage. To ensure the reuse of the plastics collected during this campaign, Unilever has also tied up with Avni Ventures Pvt. Ltd as recycling partners.
Despite several challenges faced due to changes in weather, team Kanchanjunga picked up momentum and collected its targeted waste ahead of the stipulated timeline. With this dedication, the team was able to collect more than 150% of their target waste in the expedition. This initiative was inspired by Unilever’s Brand Surf Excel which highlights “Dirt is Good”. The mountain expedition team which includes professional mountaineers and members of the Nepal Army, soiled their clothes to clean the mountains. Unilever International partnered to support this effort.
Unilever Nepal is proud to have played a small part to keep our mountains beautiful and blossoming for generations to come. Through this campaign, Unilever Nepal is reaffirming its commitment to the environment and living out its commitment ‘to make sustainable living commonplace’.
