Tourists are particularly guilty. It has become common at Col Camp to find dozens of empty wine bottles, food wrappers in many languages, and general filth. Beyond being aesthetically unpleasant, trash poses serious health concerns, both for humans and other animals, as well as fauna and flora. It takes very little time or effort to pick up that can, bottle, or wrapper, and help maintain the natural beauty of the area. The SAE Lima clubhouse will supply the garbage bags.
Wood is scarce and burnt patches of earth are ugly.
In other words, use a stove. Otherwise, dig a hole 5 to 10 centimeters deep, at least 10 meters from any water source, and bury the waste. You can learn about the seriousness of environmental degradation of the Cordillera Blanca in Trails of the Cordilleras Blanca and Huayhuash by J. Bartle, due out early 1998.