Nepal allows climbers to scale Mount Everest - providing they bring back 8kg of rubbish with them

Authorities threaten legal action against those who fail to comply with new law as waste begins to pile up

This photograph taken from an aircraft shows an aerial view of Mount Everest (C) and The Himalayan mountain range, some 140kms (87 miles) north-east of Kathmandu on April 3, 2013, on the 80th anniversary of the first manned flight over Mount Everest, the (PRAKASH MATHEMA/AFP/Getty Images)

Climbers who take on the challenge of Mount Everest will may from this year have to bring back 8kg of rubbish down with them.

The adventurers face losing a $4,000 (£2,600) deposit if they fail to bring back the litter required by a new law due to come into force this spring. the legislation will affect those who opt to go beyond the Everest Base Camp, situated at 5,300m (17, 388ft).

Nepalese government officials have expressed concern that general waste is reaching an uncontrollable level - despite previous attempts from climbers to remove from more obscure areas - and have introduced the ruling in a bid to clean up before Everest welcomes its peak number of visitors in April.

Tourism ministry official Madhusudan Burlakoti said:"Once (returning climbers) submit the rubbish to officials of the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee on their return to the Everest base camp, they will get a receipt. They will need to submit that to us so that they can reclaim their deposits."

The new ruling excludes items such as oxygen canisters and human remains, which have been found on various parts of the 8,848m (29,029ft) mountain. Mr Burlakoti insisted that the government are taking the new ruling seriously and revealed they would impose penalties on those people who do not oblige.

He added: "Our earlier efforts have not been very effective. This time, if climbers don't bring back garbage, we will take legal action and penalise them."