Mount Olympus is known in Greek mythology as the abode of the deities, but it has brought to light an unparalleled reminder of man’s impact on the environment. In a secluded spot within the limits of the Heaven of Zeus and some 2,648 meters above sea level, about 650 kg of rubbish has been discovered recently.
This waste was found during a cleaning campaign organized by Ecogenia and the Christos Kakalos Mountain Shelter. Among the rubbish found were some electronic devices and metal sheets, parts of an old generating device, and containers people believe to have been left there since the 1970s.
The most unexpected finding was a can of beverage related to the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. This finding illustrates that rubbish might stay in the peak’s extreme conditions for decades.
According to Michalis Styllas, a geologist and director of the mountain shelter, this place has functioned as a small waste dump for many years. The location is situated deep inside the Throne of Zeus, and one cannot see it from the main hiking trails and the shelter, thus the site has remained untouched for an extended period of time.
Among the waste found were old containers of olive oil which researchers believe were abandoned somewhere in the 1970s. As Styllas pointed out, such materials represent a different period of Mount Olympus, when the area was seeing far fewer tourists.
At that period of time, mountain shelters were used mostly by small groups of climbers and mule drivers who brought supplies to the area. Lack of awareness regarding environment, waste management, and recycling also played a role, making the situation worse in the past.
Bitterly cold and windy conditions at high altitudes might have contributed to the endurance of the garbage for years on the mountain. The trash could have stayed under the soil, thus continuing to relay negative impacts on nature.
The frequency of visitors to Mount Olympus has increased a lot. Around 30,000-50,000 people ascend the mountain every year and the shelters receive nearly 5,000 tourists annually.
The tallest peak of the mountain is Mytikas with an altitude of 2,918 meters, while the ‘Throne of Zeus’ comes in at a height of 2,911 meters. Despite its popularity and mythical name, the mountain has been facing numerous environmental problems connected to human activity for many decades.
This was not the first time that traces of waste were observed on Mount Olympus. Back in 2013, the discovery of another small waste dump behind the summit of Prophet Elias at the altitude of about 2,803 meters was made. The waste found there was thought to belong to the 1980s and 1990s.
This last cleanup shows us once more that what people usually leave in nature may stay there longer than it was expected. Even in some remote places like Mount Olympus, the waste remains to be discovered after many years.
