Over £1 million for towns and cities to clean up chewing gum stains

More than 50 councils across the UK will receive a share of £1.2 million to combat the scourge of chewing gum litter on the country’s high streets, thanks to grants handed out on Tuesday 17 June by the government and charity Keep Britain Tidy.

Residents in Glasgow, Fermanagh and Omagh, Bradford and Cardiff are set to benefit from the fourth round of funding from the Chewing Gum Taskforce, delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change to deliver safer and cleaner streets.

Chewing gum creates an unsightly mess and incurs huge clean-up costs. Launched in 2021, the partnership between industry, government and funds from gum producers aims to curb anti-social littering and help local councils acquire cutting-edge cleaning equipment to boost street cleaning efforts.

Innovative plans will benefit from the latest round of grants. For instance, using the latest technology, Bradford Metropolitan District Council plans to deploy specialist steam cleaners, while Cheshire Council will hire new specialists to undertake intensive cleaning in areas with high public footfall.

This initiative not only enhances community pride by improving the cleanliness and appearance of local high streets but also supports regional growth by creating more inviting spaces for residents to visit. Cleaner streets contribute to safer environments and are essential in supporting hospitality businesses and restoring pride in our communities.

Environment Minister Mary Creagh said: “Chewing gum litter is a stain on our communities. These grants, funded by gum producers, will empower local councils to tackle this issue head-on, delivering cleaner streets for all.

“This government is committed to ending our throwaway society. That is why we have already banned single-use vapes, and announced a crackdown on waste crime.”

Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, said: “Chewing gum continues to be an unsightly form of litter in our public spaces – though thankfully the scheme is leading to significant reductions. People need to remember that disposing irresponsibly of their gum causes harm to our environment as it takes years to decompose naturally – and, ultimately, costs the public purse to clean it up.”

This latest funding marks further momentum by the Chewing Gum Task Force, with the previous three rounds of funding awarding grants worth a total of £4.88 million to 122 councils.

Last year alone, more than 3.4 million square metres of pavements were scrubbed free of chewing gum due to funding from the grant scheme.

A full list of the councils receiving funding can be found online.