“Chewing gum litter is a real stain on our streets and very expensive for local authorities to remove. Keep Wales Tidy is delighted to work in partnership with Gumdrop and we hope that the initiative will reduce the amount of chewing gum litter found in towns across Wales.” Lesley Jones, Chief Executive for Keep Wales Tidy

Keep Wales Tidy in partnership to bin chewing gum

As groups across Wales do their bit for the annual Tidy Wales Week, organisers Keep Wales Tidy announce a new partnership with Gumdrop Ltd whose eye-catching pink bins encourage the responsible disposal of chewing gum. Gumdrop Ltd works with organisations across the UK to reduce chewing gum litter and the company has created the world’s first process that allows waste gum to be recycled into a new polymer, Gumtec®. The bins are made from recycled gum and all waste collected is turned into other products such as Wellington boots and mobile phone covers. Gumdrop Ltd aims to reduce gum litter by 46% in the first three months of use.

Around 3.5 billion pieces of gum are littered in the UK each year and its removal costs local authorities up to £150 million. As part of a pilot scheme, funded by Wrigley and in partnership with Keep Wales Tidy and Cardiff Council, Gumdrop bins have been placed across Cardiff, and new portable Gumdrop-on-the- go bins will be trialled in Bangor later this year. If successful, the bins may soon appear in towns and cities across Wales. The bins can also be bought by businesses who wish to reduce to amount of chewing gum litter on their premises, and companies that have used them include Southampton Airport and Legoland in Windsor. Gumdrop Ltd is eager to work in partnership with Welsh companies that are interested in trialling the new bins.

Anna Bullis, creator of Gumdrop Ltd, comments: “We are delighted to partner with Keep Wales Tidy to raise awareness of the new process to recycle chewing gum, in turn helping to clean the streets of Wales. It is a great opportunity for us all to join forces in our aim to create a greener, cleaner Wales.”

Lesley Jones, Chief Executive for Keep Wales Tidy, says: “Chewing gum litter is a real stain on our streets and very expensive for local authorities to remove. Keep Wales Tidy is delighted to work in partnership with Gumdrop and we hope that the initiative will reduce the amount of chewing gum litter found in towns across Wales.”

Tidy Wales Week takes place from 16 to22 September and Keep Wales Tidy is urging people in every corner of the country to show how much they care for their local area by getting involved in hands-on, problem-solving action. Everyone who registers an event online at www.keepwalestidy.org will be put into a prize draw to win a £100 National Garden gift voucher. To assist groups taking part, Keep Wales Tidy will send information explaining how to organise a safe, busy and fun event. Project officers across Wales can offer assistance in organising clean-ups and can loan equipment.