Council secures funding for chewing gum clean-up

Nation.Cymru staff

A council has secured £26,752 to help remove discarded chewing gum from streets and pavements.

Cyngor Gwynedd has used the grant from the Chewing Gum Task Force to buy an additional specialist steam-cleaning machine for its community tidy-up teams.

Cleaning work has already begun, with the equipment set to be used in communities across the county.

It is the fourth consecutive year the council has secured funding through the scheme, which was established by the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and is managed by Keep Britain Tidy.

Councillor June Jones, the council’s cabinet member for highways, engineering and consultancy services, said: “Chewing gum litter continues to be an issue regularly highlighted by residents across the county, so we are pleased to be able to invest in specialist equipment to help tackle this challenge.

“We appreciate the support and funding provided by the Chewing Gum Task Force. Our Timau Tacluso have already begun a programme of cleaning work, and we hope this will make a noticeable difference to the appearance of our streets and pavements.”

Alongside removing stubborn gum stains, the council is urging people to dispose of their chewing gum responsibly.

Cllr Jones said: “The impact of discarded chewing gum is something many people have experienced for themselves, whether by stepping in it and carrying it on their shoes or transferring it onto clothing. That is why, alongside the cleaning work, we are emphasising the importance of disposing of chewing gum responsibly in the first place.”

The Chewing Gum Task Force brings together major gum producers to fund cleaning and help prevent further littering.

Gwynedd’s Timau Tacluso Ardal Ni teams carry out smaller environmental improvement jobs across the county. Residents who would like a team to visit their community can contact their local county councillor.

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