Chewing Gum Awareness & Disposal Options

Wrigley, the leading manufacturer of chewing gum in the UK promote good disposal of chewing gum on their packaging and are also members of the Chewing Gum Action Group (CGAG). This group incorporates Local Government Association, Chartered Institute of Waste Management, Department of Education & Skills and
Defra (Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
and
EnCams (An environmental charity which runs the Keep Britain Tidy campaign)
Whose websites highlight the main issues surrounding chewing gum disposal.

Statistics claim that our most frequent offenders for disposing of their gum on the floor are teenagers and those in their early twenties; we therefore have the ability to Educate these age groups through our Schools and Universities however these are not the only offenders. Education should therefore not be limited to educational establishments alone but should be for all. There are various advertising campaigns making people aware of the environmental damage, the risks to our health and our wildlife and the costs incurred in the clean up operation unfortunately getting this message across to the nation is taking time.

 Chewing gum has many benefits particularly as an alternative to cigarettes so it is unlikely that we would ever entirely ban chewing gum. Many councils’ have introduced a fine of £75.00 if you’re caught dropping gum but there are substantial costs incurred in policing this which the tax payer is penalised for and actually catching someone doing the dirty deed is somewhat wishful thinking. The jury remains out as to whether adding tax could discourage ‘gum dropping’ and although this would contribute towards the clean up operation, is this really the answer? Manufacturers are trying to produce a product that is bio degradable and non sticky but does this then mean that we simply accept spitting gum on the floor as appropriate behaviour even if it does eventually bio degrade?

The answer; educate & dispose of gum correctly in an appropriate chewing gum bin-[BIN] 4 GUM. Bin 4 Gum

The Disposal Options
There are novelty disposal ideas like the key ring gum bin and the Rizla style paper wrappers for wrapping your gum and disposing of it later which will undoubtedly encourage some users but for most the thought of carrying around used gum just won’t be acceptable.

Other novelty alternatives include open gum boards. These are appearing in high streets that are currently running gum campaigns and are having some success during the ‘introductory stage’ however the prominent sight of the chewed gum is revolting to many people, unhygienic and unsightly. Issues highlighted even by the younger generation (bearing in mind these are our main target group) are;

“getting pushed in it & the gum sticking in your hair, it would be treated as a game & a bullying threat”
“bee’s, wasps and flies will be attracted to it”
“you might touch someone else’s gum”
“you can pick up all sorts of germs”
“it will encourage the user to spit at the target”
“it’s more unsightly than being on the floor”

The novelty ideas are great encouragers but we certainly need something that will be there long term, something that is hygienic to avoid cross contamination of germs, readily available when we get that urge to get rid, strategically placed in gum problem areas, competitively priced to allow mass coverage and ideally something that continues to advertise the need for proper gum disposal.

Quite simply a [BIN] 4 GUM and plenty of them

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO KEEP GUM OFF THE FLOOR
 

The JANITOR Ltd 204 Sunbeam Studios Sunbeam Street Wolverhampton West Midlands  WV2 4PF
 Email enquiries@bin4gum.co.uk   Or FREEPHONE 0800 542 8031
Company Reg no 03480595. Reg Office,  Brittannia Court, Moor Street, Worcester, WR1 3DB