Mount Everest Has A Big Problem With Human Waste Human waste is reportedly a big issue for the world’s tallest mountain. Just this season, 28,000 pounds of human waste have been taken from Everest base camps. It has then been put in Gorak Shep, a frozen lake bed located 17,000 feet above sea level. Scientists say the waste runs the risk of contaminating water streams and could become a "fecal time bomb." Garry Porter, who attempted to climb Everest in 2003, has proposed a solution for the poop problem. Porter aims to create a biogas digester, which will turn excrement into fertilizer and methane gas. In turn, this can be used to cook food and light homes in nearby villages.