Council staff armed with special equipment are on a mission to clean up the pavements of North Tyneside - one gum stain at a time.
North Tyneside Council’s cleansing teams have been kitted out with the latest chewing gum-removing equipment, as part of an effort to eradicate pesky gum stains from pavements across the borough.
The equipment is worn on the back and vaporises gum stains by blasting an eco-friendly detergent made from sugar beet on to the pavement.
Staff will initially target areas of high footfall, such as town centres, and new signage will be installed to encourage people to bin their gum.
The council is among 56 councils across the country and only three in the North East to be awarded funding from Keep Britain Tidy's Chewing Gum Taskforce, having received over £19,000 to buy the equipment.
Speaking after the first use of the equipment in North Shields town centre, Councillor Hannah Johnson, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “Chewing gum stains are an eyesore and notoriously difficult and costly to remove.
“As well as making our pavements look untidy, they stick to people’s shoes, bike wheels, prams, and wheelchairs and once they are trodden into the concrete they can stay there for years.
“This funding gives us the tools we need to tackle the problem more effectively and we expect it to have a major impact on the cleanliness and overall appearance of our streets.
“Hopefully it will discourage people from dropping their gum in future. Once the gum is cleaned up, we must remind the public all litter, including gum, belongs in the bin.
“Together, we can create a cleaner and greener Borough for all residents and visitors to enjoy.”
The annual clean-up cost of chewing gum for UK councils is estimated at around £7 million, and approximately 77% of England's streets and 99% of retail sites are stained with gum, as reported by Keep Britain Tidy.
The Chewing Gum Task Force is supported by major gum producers, including Mars Wrigley and Perfetti Van Melle, who have collectively pledged up to £10 million over five years to combat gum littering.
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Keep Britain Tidy's chief executive, said: "Chewing gum litter is highly visible on our high streets and is both difficult and expensive to clean up, so the support for councils provided by the Chewing Gum Task Force and the gum manufacturers is very welcome.
"However, once the gum has been cleaned up, it is vital to remind the public that when it comes to litter, whether it's gum or anything else, there is only one place it should be – in the bin – and that is why the behaviour change element of the task force’s work is so important."
