Waste Management Outlook for Mountain Regions

CASE STUDY

High Altitude Sustainability Pakistan

High Altitude Sustainability Pakistan (HASP) was established in 2015 to support the sustainable management of adventure tourism in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. It was formed by a group of committed individuals concerned about unsustainable tourism practices, the lack of suitable regulation and other activities that were beginning to adversely affect the pristine character of the area. HASP aims to support responsible tourism in the region by focusing on the entire ecosystem, which includes: Removing physical waste from high-altitude areas by: • retrieving at least 4,500 kg of animal carcasses and solid waste from the Baltoro Glacier a year • segregating collected waste into metal/tin cans, paper, plastics and animal remains

• disposing metals/tin cans, paper and plastics responsibly: these are donated to locals in Skardu specializing in the recycling and reuse of waste metal or deposited at the Central Karakoram National Park incinerator in Askoli Village; animal remains are also removed from the glacier and buried in Askoli Raising awareness by: • staying on the Baltoro Glacier for at least 17 days a year, and engaging with tourists and at least 35 porters who regularly traverse the Baltoro Glacier (in 2015); in 2016, HASP carried out two clean-up expeditions and was present for more than 30 days in total. • displaying banners at various campsites highlighting conservation issues. • sharing issues and results with local traditional and social

Weighing the rubbish collected on Baltoro Glacier. Photo © Hanniah Tariq/HASP

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