A Nottinghamshire council has named the "hotspots" in its area for people spitting chewing gum on the street after being given £25,000 to clear it up. Bingham, Cotgrave and East Leake are among the areas where electric gum removal machines will now be deployed to clean the streets.
The council covering those areas, Rushcliffe Borough Council, is one of 56 authorities across the country that successfully applied for a grant to clean up chewing gum. The council says staff have now been fully trained to use the three new electric gum removal machines, which will also be used in areas such as Ruddington, West Bridgford and Radcliffe on Trent.
Rushcliffe Borough Council's Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Environment and Safety, Councillor Rob Inglis, said: "We're delighted our funding application was successful and we are now clearing areas that are spoilt by chewing gum. It creates an eyesore and it can stick to footwear and clothing, and we want to encourage people to bin their gum, there are no excuses."
Which Nottinghamshire road is the worst for heavy traffic? Let us know in our poll here.
The project is being partly funded by the 'Chewing Gum Task Force', a project administered by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy. The task force scheme is now in its second year and is funded by major manufacturers of chewing gum including Mars Wrigley and Perfetti Van Melle.
Keep Britain Tidy estimated that it costs councils in the UK around £7 million to clean up chewing gum every year, with around 77% of England's streets being stained with it. The councils to have been successful in applying for grants this year will collectively receive a total of £1.2 million.
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive, said: "Chewing gum litter is highly visible on our high streets and is both difficult and expensive to clean up, so the support for councils provided by the Chewing Gum Task Force and the gum manufacturers is very welcome.
"However, once the gum has been cleaned up, it is vital to remind the public that when it comes to litter, whether it's gum or anything else, there is only one place it should be – in the bin – and that is why the behaviour change element of the task force's work is so important."
