Council launches chewing gum crackdown

Haringey is one of 54 local authorities to benefit from funding from the Chewing Gum Task Force aimed at cleaning up discarded gum from pavements

A chewing gum clean-up of streets in Haringey has proved a success, the council says.

Earlier this year Haringey Council won a £27,500 grant from the Chewing Gum Task Force and was one of 54 local authorities to benefit from the funding pot, which is aimed at cleaning up discarded gum from pavements and preventing future littering.

Seema Chandwani, cabinet member for tackling inequality and resident services, said: “As always, our residents have been at the forefront of making this initiative happen.

“They share their priorities with us, collaborate on solutions, and support us in enforcement efforts.

“With support from the Chewing Gum Task Force, we’ve been able to significantly improve the cleanliness of our streets and enhance the local environment for everyone in Haringey. We want our borough to be a place that residents are proud of and that warmly welcomes others to experience everything it has to offer.

“This investment goes beyond tackling litter; it’s about making Haringey a cleaner, safer, and more appealing place for all to enjoy. We remain committed to building on this progress and helping our community continue to thrive.”

Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, said: “Thankfully the majority of people who chew gum dispose of it responsibly. But for those who don’t, cleaning gum and the resulting staining it causes off our pavements costs councils millions of pounds every year.

“We know this issue won’t be solved overnight, even in areas where the gum has been cleaned up, but we’re confident that with innovation, research and small behaviour changes provided through the Chewing Gum Task Force, together we can tackle this sticky issue.”

Established by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and run by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, the Chewing Gum Task Force grant scheme is open to councils across the UK who wish to clean up gum in their local areas and invest in long-term behaviour change to prevent gum from being dropped in the first place.

The grant scheme is supported by leading gum manufacturers, including Mars Wrigley and Perfetti Van Melle, who have invested a total of up to £10million over five years.

Estimates suggest the annual clean-up cost of chewing gum for councils in the UK is around £7m and, according to Keep Britain Tidy, around 77% of England’s streets and 99% of retail sites are stained with gum.

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