It follows new funding to clean up and crack down on the issue
It follows new funding to clean up and crack down on the issue
Four areas could be cleared of chewing gum in Merseyside as new funding has been announced from the government.
Wirral Council has received a grant from environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy as part of a scheme by the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs. The scheme is open to councils across the UK who wish to clean up gum in their local areas and invest in long-term behaviour change to prevent gum from being dropped in the first place.
The borough is one of 52 authorities across the country to successfully apply for funding. The money will be used to clean gum off pavements and prevent further littering.
A total of £27,500 has been given to the council to clear gum off the streets and top of the list for clearance is Moreton Cross, parts of Pensby Road and Irby Village, as well as New Ferry if possible.
The scheme, called the Chewing Gum Task Force, is funded by major gum manufacturers including Mars Wrigley and Perfetti Van Melle with an investment of up to £10 million spread over five years.
Estimates suggest the annual clean-up cost of chewing gum for councils in the UK is around £7 million. According to Keep Britain Tidy, around 77% of England’s streets and 99% of retail sites are stained with gum.
Environment committee chair Cllr Liz Grey said: “It’s not something we should ever take lightly, discarded chewing gum, stuck to pavements and footways in many busy areas, is an issue right across the country as it be very difficult and expensive to clean up effectively.
“I’m pleased that Wirral has been successful in securing this funding. It will really help us to clean up what’s already there, and to remind people that the only suitable place to dispose of gum – and any other kind of litter – is in the bin.”
Environment Minister Mary Creagh said: “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.”Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive, said:
“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.”
In 2023, the council said it would be cleaning up six areas after it was awarded £25,000. This included Ford Road in Upton, Wallasey Village, King Street in Egremont, and sections of Old Chester Road and Pensby Road.
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