Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown tackles gum litter

The Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Councillor Shay Brennan officially launched the Gum Litter Taskforce’s gum litter education campaign with Shankill Tidy Towns and dlr Litter Wardens.

The Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT) has been successful to date in changing the public’s behaviour by encouraging correct gum disposal through a targeted education and awareness campaign. The 2018 campaign maintained an all-time high of 93% of people stating that they regard chewing gum as litter, up from 74% when the campaign first began in 2007, pointing to the attitudinal impact which the campaign has had to date.

Research commissioned by the Gum Litter Taskforce and conducted by Kantar Millward Brown during the 2018 campaign has highlighted the campaign’s positive effect on people’s behaviour towards gum disposal. The latest results show that 88% of people said that they always dispose of their gum correctly, up from 54% when the campaign first began.

Speaking at the launch, Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Councillor Shay Brennan said; “We are committed to continuing our efforts to eradicate gum from our streets. The GLT campaign has achieved positive results to date and has made great progress over the years in enacting positive behavioural and attitudinal change amongst the public when it comes to proper gum disposal. I hope this year’s campaign will continue to build on those results.”

Shankill Tidy Towns are a vibrant and active community group committed to environmental improvement. They have a well organised anti-litter programme with teams of volunteers who work hard to ensure the area remains litter free. Eoin McBennett, Chairman of Shankill Tidy Towns added; “We are delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with the Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT) and dlr to highlight the fight against gum litter.”