Gum Litter Taskforce Roadshow Visits West Cork

The Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT) took to the streets of Bantry as a part of its Summer Roadshow. The interactive roadshow works with local authorities and communities across the country to carry out fun and engaging education and awareness initiatives that demonstrate the proper means of gum disposal and raise awareness of the environmental and fiscal impacts of gum litter. Now in its seventeenth year, the campaign is a collaboration between Food Drink Ireland, the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, the chewing gum industry and local authorities.

Welcoming the roadshow to West Cork, Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Joe Carroll said, 

One in seven people continue to drop their gum on the ground, according to new findings from the Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT), the national awareness campaign which aims to make gum litter an issue of the past, this includes 19% of men and 9% of women.

However, attitudes towards gum litter continue to change, as children are educated on the negative impacts of gum litter. Last year’s campaign had a positive impact on both attitudes and behaviour regarding gum disposal, with a 5% increase in those reporting ‘always’ or ‘usually’ disposing of used gum correctly, bringing the figure to a record high of 92%. The latest results of the National Litter Pollution Monitoring Report (2022) also reflect this behavioural change, showing a continuous decline of percentage of gum as a proportion of litter at 8.6%. 

The GLT research also found that the biggest deterrent of gum litter is peer pressure, however 1 in 4 of state they have changed their behaviour as a result of the educational messaging from the Bin It! campaign, a school roadshow and social media campaign targeting 16–24-year-olds. 

A further positive impact of the campaign is evident from the 16% of young people who reported having stopped the habit of ‘dropping or spitting’ gum recently post campaign.

Gum Litter Campaign Manager, Avril Donlon of Food Drink Ireland also spoke “We are delighted to launch the 2024 Gum Litter Taskforce campaign, with the support of the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications. The results of the campaign are evident, and we are thrilled that 1 in 4 people state the GLT campaign as the reason for deterring them from littering gum. Last year we delivered significant results, with a record number of schools participating in the Bin It! Education programme, and we really look forward to what the 2024 campaign has in store.” 

Katrine Grytter, Corporate Affairs Director, Mars Wrigley Northern Europe and Ireland said “We are very proud of the continued success of Gum Litter Taskforce campaign at Mars Wrigley and delighted with the continued support from the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications and Food Drink Ireland. The campaign helps to teach younger generations about the negative impacts of gum and other litter and promotes an eco-conscious mindset. We look forward to the continued success of GLT campaign and its supporting bodies in 2024.” 

This year’s campaign will see representatives from the Gum Litter Taskforce working with local authorities and communities to carry out education and awareness initiatives that demonstrate the proper means of gum disposal and raise awareness of the environmental and fiscal impacts of improper disposal.

Then, in September, the Gum Litter Taskforce’s Bin It! education programme will travel across the country and deliver 60 performances a year to primary and secondary schools nationwide, with the ambition to visit 180 schools by 2025. This is in addition to useful lesson plan material that has been made available to almost 730 schools across Ireland. 

For more information about the Gum Litter Taskforce and the “Bin It!” education programme, visit www.gumlittertaskforce.ie