FIRMS SNUB CASH-STRAPPED COUNCILS’ PLEA
Stephen Hayward Chewing gum makers are refusing to stump up towards the £60million a year bill for scraping the stuff off our pavements.
Cash-strapped councils have appealed to gum giants to help clean up the mess which “blights virtually every street” in Britain.
But industry bosses say they are already spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on anti-litter campaigns.
More than 28million people in Britain regularly chew gum. An average piece of gum costs 3p to buy but around £1.50 to clean up.
Local councils say the gum industry needs to go “further and faster” to help with street cleaning costs – which could be better spent on other services.
Almost every local authority in Scotland has cut the budget for street cleaning in recent years.
The Accounts Commission said streets in 20 council areas were
dirtier as a result. Scottish local goverment organisation Cosla claim it highlights the challenges of prioritising services in the face of budget cuts.
Cosla president David O’Neill added: “It is missing a crucial point to suggest responsibility for this lies solely with local government.”
The Loca l Government Association – who represent 400 councils in England and Wales – said: “The longer it takes for manufacturers to respond to our reasonable call to contribute to the cost of clearing up chewing gum and switch to biodegradable gum, the higher the costs to councils.
“Councils are keen to work with the industry to help solve this problem, which blights virtually every street and community.”
Gum giants Wrigley, who make Hubba Bubba and Extra, said they encourage customers to dispose of gum responsibly.
A spokesman said: “Wrigley spend many hundreds of thousands of pounds on anti-litter initiatives in the UK each year.”