Over 50% Of People Have Dropped Gum On The Ground

Friday, 14 July 2023 11:54

The Gum Litter Taskforce is visiting Laois today.

The problem of gum is being tackled in Laois today.

The Gum Litter Taskforce is visiting Portarlington with its Summer Roadshow.

New figures show almost nine in 10 people are now properly disposing of their gum disposal.

Peer pressure was found to be the key contributor to this shift in attitudes, followed by knowledge of the €150 fine.

However, only 46% of people can claim to have never dropped gum on the ground.

Gum Litter Taskforce Project Manager, Jonathan McDade of Food Drink Ireland, says: "Each year of the campaign has delivered significant improvements, and we look forward to continuing our education and local authority engagements nationwide over the coming months. We remain committed to making gum litter on the streets of Ireland a problem of the past."

Welcoming the Roadshow to Laois Cathaoirleach Cllr Paschal McEvoy from Laois City Council said: "We are delighted to welcome back the Gum Litter Taskforce to Laois. The Roadshow is a fantastic way to show people about the sustainable impacts of responsibly disposing of gum litter and changing their disposal behaviours. The GLT campaign has seen a visible reduction of gum litter on our streets since it first began, and the Roadshow is an important reminder to the people of Laois that we must continue to reduce our litter and protect our local environment."

Speaking at the launch of this year’s Roadshow, Minister Ossian Smyth welcomed the latest research and the return of the GLT campaign for the second year of its fifth cycle: “The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications is proud to play a part in this important initiative. Each cycle of the campaign has delivered demonstrable progress in reducing gum litter on our streets, showing the impact that cross-collaborative initiatives such as this one can have. I look forward to continuing with our good work with industry and local authorities to build on the continued success of the GLT campaign to ultimately eradicate gum litter.”