Streets in the north of Sunderland will be undergoing a deep clean as the City Council has received a £24,000 grant to clean up chewing gum.
This is the fifth year Sunderland has received the funding for the Chewing Gum Task Force administered by Keep Britain Tidy, to clean chewing gum up and prevent it from being littered in the first place.
The funding is being used to purchase more equipment, including a machine that can be worn like a backpack and used to blast away chewing gum from pavements. It works by applying a mix of detergent and heat to soften and lift gum from paving stones.
Alongside physical cleaning, the council is also encouraging residents to dispose of gum responsibly, through added signage and public messaging.
Sunderland City Council’s Environmental services teams are carrying out a rolling programme of cleansing using two previously funded gum-busting backpacks and a gum-busting barrow.
This year’s focus is on streets in Seaburn, Roker, Sea Road and Southwick Green. Previous years have focussed on streets in the city centre, and this year Seaburn and Roker have been selected as areas with high footfall that suffer from persistent gum littering.
The grant allows the council to build long-term capacity to deal with chewing gum litter, as the equipment will remain in use all year round.
Councillor Bill Blackett, Sunderland City Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Enforcement, said:
This grant helps us to keep our neighbourhoods looking their best and helps to build our long-term ability to deal with chewing gum litter throughout the year.
“Chewing gum may appear to be a minor littering issue, but when dropped on our streets it can be difficult and expensive to remove. By combining specialist cleaning equipment with public awareness campaigns, we can improve the appearance of our public spaces and encourage everyone to take pride in their local area by disposing of gum responsibly.
The Task Force is funded by major gum manufacturers including Mars Wrigley and Perfetti Van Melle, with an investment of up to £10 million spread over five years.
According to Keep Britain Tidy, around 77% of England’s streets and 99% of retail sites are stained with gum.
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, said:
While chewing gum litter remains a stubborn eyesore in our public spaces, the good news is that this scheme is already driving major improvements.
“As an environmental charity, we know that every piece of gum dropped irresponsibly damages the environment, taking years to break down naturally, while also leaving taxpayers to foot the bill for costly clean-up operations.
“Everyone can play a part in creating cleaner, greener streets for all by binning their gum properly.
