Over 50 councils across the UK will receive a share of £1.2 million to tackle chewing gum litter.
The grants, provided by the UK Government and environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, are part of the fourth round of funding from the Chewing Gum Task Force.
Launched in 2021, the Task Force is a partnership between industry, government and funds from gum producers, which aims to prevent anti-social littering and help local councils acquire cutting-edge cleaning equipment.
Bradford Metropolitan District Council plan to use the funding to deploy specialist steam cleaners. While Cheshire Council say they will hire new specialists to undertake intensive cleaning in areas with high public footfall.
Commenting on the funding, Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said: “Chewing gum litter is a stain on our communities. These grants, funded by gum producers, will empower local councils to tackle this issue head-on, delivering cleaner streets for all.
These grants, funded by gum producers, will empower local councils to tackle this issue head-on, delivering cleaner streets for all.
“This government is committed to ending our throwaway society. That is why we have already banned single-use vapes, and announced a crackdown on waste crime.”
To date, the Chewing Gum Task Force has awarded a total of £4.88 million in grants to 122 councils.
Last year, Keep Britain Tidy reported that chewing gum was removed from more than 3.4 million square metres of pavements through projects funded by the grant scheme.
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive, commented: “Chewing gum continues to be an unsightly form of litter in our public spaces – though thankfully the scheme is leading to significant reductions.
“People need to remember that disposing irresponsibly of their gum causes harm to our environment as it takes years to decompose naturally – and, ultimately, costs the public purse to clean it up.”
