Gum Litter Taskforce Roadshow takes to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown to tackle gum disposal

The Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT) took to the streets of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown today as part of its Summer Roadshow. The interactive Roadshow works with local authorities and communities across the country to carry out fun and engaging education and awareness initiatives that demonstrate the proper means of gum disposal and to raise awareness of the environmental and financial impacts of gum litter. Now in its 17th year, the campaign is a collaboration between Food Drink Ireland, the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, the chewing gum industry, and local authorities.

Welcoming the Roadshow to Blackrock Park Councillor Jim O’Leary, Cathaoirleach, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said:

“We are delighted to welcome the Gum Litter Taskforce to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. It is a great initiative that helps us to educate and inform people of the negative impacts of gum litter on our local community. The reduction of gum litter in recent years is a testament to the success of the campaign and we look forward to seeing the progressive positive change the campaign brings in years to come”.

Attitudes towards gum litter continue to change, as children are educated on the negative impacts of gum litter. The GLT 2023 campaign had a positive impact on both attitudes and behaviour regarding gum disposal, with a 5% increase in those reporting ‘always’ or ‘usually’ putting their chewed gum in the bin, bringing the figure to a record high of 92%. The latest results of the National Litter Pollution Monitoring report (2022) also reflect this behavioural change, showing a continuous decline of percentage of gum as a proportion of litter at 8.6%.

Frank Curran, Chief Executive, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council added:

“Congratulations to the Gum Litter Taskforce for their efforts in educating communities across Ireland and raising awareness about the impact of gum litter. It is especially heartening to see that 92% of people now dispose of their gum properly, the highest percentage to date. Promoting responsible behaviour and keeping our streets clean is truly commendable and we look forward to the continued success of the Gum Litter Taskforce campaign".

The GLT research also found that the biggest deterrent of gum litter is peer pressure, however 1 in 4 of state they have changed their behaviour because of the educational messaging from the Bin-it campaign.

The findings highlight the continued impact of the GLT, a joint initiative of the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, Food Drink Ireland, and the chewing gum industry, which has played a key role in promoting proper gum litter disposal, since its launch in 2007.

This year’s campaign will see representatives from the Gum Litter Taskforce working with local authorities and communities to carry out education and awareness initiatives that demonstrate the proper means of gum disposal and raise awareness of the environmental and fiscal impacts of improper disposal.

Then, in September, the Gum Litter Taskforce’s Bin It! education programme will travel across the country and deliver 60 performances a year to primary and secondary schools nationwide, with the ambition to visit 180 schools by 2025. This is in addition to useful lesson plan material that has been made available to almost 730 schools across Ireland.

For more information: www.gumlittertaskforce.ie