Chewing gum makers are to contribute to a fund to clean up mess on pavements – including those across Gedling borough.
The major chewing gum producers have now signed up to a new £10 million partnership to remove gum litter from our high streets, Environment Minister Rebecca Pow announced today (August 30).
The scheme, including Mars Wrigley, GlaxoSmithKline and Perfetti Van Melle and managed by independent charity Keep Britain Tidy, will see gum firms invest up to £10 million over the next five years to help reduce gum litter.
The annual clean-up cost of chewing gum litter is estimated at £7 million. Around 87% of England’s streets are stained with gum, according to research by Keep Britain Tidy.
The investment, starting later this year, will be used to clean up historic gum litter staining and use ‘behavioural interventions’ to encourage people to bin their gum.
Littering is a criminal offence and the Government has already empowered local authorities like Gedling Borough Council by increasing on-the-spot penalties for offenders to £150, rising to up to £2,500 if convicted in court.
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: “The stains of discarded chewing gum are a blight on our communities, spoiling our streets and wasting millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money.
“This new scheme means chewing gum producers are not only helping to clean up towns and cities as they welcome people back to our high streets, but crucially taking action to prevent people littering in the first place.
“We are committed to building back better and greener and this commitment to making town centres a more attractive and inviting place is a key part of our long-term strategy to breathe new life into our communities.
Allison Ogden-Newton, Chief Executive of environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, said: “Keep Britain Tidy are delighted to be working with Defra and the chewing gum industry to clean up gum from our streets and critically stop it being dropped in the first place.”
