The other day, while standing outside a local shop, I noticed that the pavement was stained with spots of chewing gum.
It used to be called ‘street acne’ by my colleagues when I worked in a waste department. It made me question how big a problem it is and what was being done about it. This is what I found out.
According to Keep Wales Tidy our streets are blighted by staining from gum – they estimate it is found on almost three quarters of Wales’ streets. It’s not only football managers who chew it; four billion pieces of plastic gum are chewed every year in the UK and according to experts, the market is continuing to grow.
Cleaning gum and the staining it causes on our pavements costs councils millions of pounds. By law, chewing gum is defined as litter, but local authorities are not legally obliged to clean chewing gum staining. These stains persist for a significant period, as most chewing gum is a synthetic product made from the same plastics found in carrier bags, shampoo bottles, and even car tyres. Once chewed, it’s thrown away – effectively making it a single use plastic!
Chewing gum not only mars our pavements but also can hurt animals in both urban and rural environments. According to the Gum Targets website, animals may mistake chewing gum for food, leading to blockages in their digestive tracts, which can result in discomfort, malnutrition, or even death. Furthermore, chemicals present in chewing gum can leach into soil and water, potentially contaminating various habitats.
These contaminants can indirectly influence ecosystems, affecting plants, insects, and larger animals within the food chain. Additionally, the plastic components found in chewing gum contribute to the problem of plastic pollution in our oceans, posing a significant threat to marine life globally.
The problem is so serious, the UK government set up a Task Force in 2021. Funded by chewing gum companies with up to £10 million over five years, it aims to clean up old gum stains and encourage people to dispose of their gum properly.
The environmental organisation on a mission to stop plastic pollution, City to Sea, have partnered with Nuud Gum to petition parliament to ban plastic-based chewing gum, calling for clear ingredient labels and promoting plastic-free alternatives. Nuud, along with companies such as Simply Gum, Milliways, and True Gum, has shown that chewing gum can be produced using plant-based, biodegradable, and plastic-free ingredients.
Now I’ve looked into the problems of plastic based chewing gum, it appears that a ban would be beneficial, especially given the availability of plastic-free alternatives. City to Sea highlights that if single-use plastic vapes and straws can be prohibited, similar measures could be taken for plastic gum. In the meantime, regardless of the type of gum chewed, it is important to ensure it’s disposed of properly.
By Brian Mayne
The views expressed by columnists of this newspaper do not necessarily reflect the views of the Glamorgan Star, its employees or its proprietors.
.
- Festival will celebrate nature in the Vale
- Prestigious award for green columnist
- Dŵr Cymru fails to curb sewage pollution incidents
Former Barry office building transformed into vital new homes
Prolific thief banned from entering shops in Barry
I’m proud that all parties agreed on children in care plan
Royal Welsh highlights the role of the rural economy
Parent may have to lose job for school run
Double victory for Pencoed cricketers
