23/05/2005

Government stick to gum litter fine plans

The government has announced plans to tackle the problem of chewing gum littering, by proposing fines of up to £75 for those who drop their used gum in the street.

The scheme, which is backed by the government-sponsored Chewing Gum Action Group, is being piloted in three areas in Preston, followed by Manchester and Maidstone next month.

The campaign, which includes both advertising and publicity, as well as stricter enforcement measures, aims to change the behaviour of gum chewers and save on local authorities clean-up bills by ensuring people put their discarded gum in bins.

The advertising campaign will includes posters in shopping areas and on telephone boxes, as well as on beer mats in pubs. Specially-designed disposal pouches will be handed out in key pedestrian areas or distributed free-of-charge through local retail outlets, while trained wardens will issue fines to those who drop their chewing gum.

Local Environment Minister Ben Bradshaw said that the campaign was the start of a wider publicty push to emphasis the message that throwing used gum on the ground was “not accepatable”. Mr Bradshaw said: “Irresponsibly discarded gum which sticks to the streets and other areas of public property is a nuisance which costs councils thousands to clean up every year. The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act passed by Parliament before the election included a range of measures to improve the appearance of the local environment. One of them was making it clear that chewing gum is litter and that people who get caught dropping it are liable to be fined.”

Reaction to the campaign will be assessed and will be used to develop a national campaign later in the year.

(KMcA/SP)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

02 March 2006
Campaign to reduce gum litter
Fifteen local authorities across England are to receive funding to help them tackle gum litter. Local authorities in Bristol City, Chesterfield, Colchester, Hertsmere, Horsham, Kensington, Lancaster City, Leeds, Lewisham, Medway, Plymouth, Solihull, Stoke on Trent, Trafford and Wigan will receive the funding.
28 March 2007
Chewing gum ads caused 'deep offence'
Television commercials for Trident chewing gum have been banned after the industry watchdog deemed them to be offensive to Britain's African Caribbean population.
21 December 2012
Criminals Make Community Payback
Unpaid work totalling one and three quarter million hours was imposed on low-level offenders in Scotland as punishment for their crimes in the last year, according to figures released today.
23 February 2004
Britain is filthier despite council bill hike, says Keep Britain Tidy
While the average council tax bill has soared by 60% in seven years, Britain's streets are becoming filthier, according to a report published today. The Keep Britain Tidy study has found that poorer councils who clean up at the wrong time have left 97% of streets strewn with rubbish and two-thirds of Britons are now living in grubby neighbourhoods.
07 November 2006
M&S profits rise on makeover
Marks & Spencer’s resurgence has continued with the retailer reporting a 32% hike in half-year profits. Pre-tax profits were reported as £405.1m on the back of strong sales in food and clothing, and an advertising campaign featuring Twiggy. M&S Chief Executive Stuart Rose said: “We had a good first half.