Thanks to the exceptional efforts of our volunteers, dozens of stages have already been completed to clean up our mountains in Switzerland and Italy.

Summer's not over yet, and autumn promises more great days of action. There are still plenty of dates on the programme for those who want to get involved.

Registration for these stages is now open. Each participant makes a direct contribution to preserving our Alpine ecosystems.

The foundation is launching self-service cleaning stations for walkers.

Summit Foundation today announced the launch of its "Clean-Up Box" project. The aim of this initiative is to offer a permanent solution for collecting rubbish in the mountains, by equipping hikers directly so that they can contribute to keeping the sites clean.

Faced with the limitations of one-off cleaning campaigns, the Clean-Up Box offers a sustainable solution. The project consists of a mobile cleaning station, strategically placed in the resorts, containing everything needed to equip around twenty people. Inside, hikers will find free collection bags, waste tongs, gloves and a tarpaulin to make sorting easier.

After their walk, participants bring back the rubbish they have collected to be sorted. As a thank-you, they get to keep the waste clip, which was recycled from previous awareness-raising campaigns.

A pilot project will be launched in autumn 2025 in a partner station. Once the results have been analysed, the project will be extended to 10 new stations in spring 2026, with the aim of covering 50 % in the major Swiss stations by 2027.

What is the real impact?

Alpine environments are delicate systems where every element has its importance. The introduction of human waste disturbs this balance in several ways:

• Water contamination Faecal matter can introduce dangerous pathogens such as E. coli and Giardia in streams, lakes and groundwater. These sources of pure water, vital for wildlife and often used by hikers, become a public health risk. The low temperatures at altitude do not destroy these pathogens; on the contrary, they can preserve them.
• Nutrient overload Mountain soils are naturally poor in nutrients. Human excrement adds excess nitrogen and phosphorus. This nutrient pollution, known as eutrophication, disrupts aquatic ecosystems, encourages the proliferation of algae to the detriment of other forms of life and degrades water quality.
• Soil and vegetation degradation Alpine vegetation is fragile and slow-growing. Soils are often thin and have difficulty breaking down organic matter. The acidity and nutrient concentration of excrement changes the soil chemistry, affects essential microbial communities and can 'burn' fragile vegetation, which will take years or even decades to regenerate.
• Pollution that travels The problem is not localised. Studies carried out in Alaska have shown that excrement buried in glaciers can reappear years later kilometres downstream, releasing its load of pathogens as the ice melts.

Global awareness and practical solutions

From Mount Everest, where over-visiting has created a health crisis, to the American national parks and the European Alps, the problem is global. Fortunately, the solutions are within everyone's reach.

The objective is simple: leave no trace.

The best way to do this is to take all your rubbish with you, including your faeces. There are simple hygienic solutions:

• WAG bags" or toilet kits These single-use bags contain polymers and neutralising agents that gel liquid waste, break down solids and neutralise odours. Sealed, they can be easily carried in a rucksack and disposed of in an appropriate bin when you return to civilisation.
• Dry toilets : Where they are installed (refuges, trailheads), they represent an excellent solution. However, they are difficult to maintain at high altitude and do not cover the vastness of mountain areas.

Change your habits, respect the environment

Protecting the beauty and purity of our mountains is a collective responsibility. By doing the right thing, every hiker, climber and nature lover becomes a guardian of these exceptional places.

So the next time nature calls, be prepared. Think about the impact of your passage and make the choice not to leave anything behind.

Share your responsible hikes with the hashtag #Posetapeche and be part of the solution.