Peers help to deter gum litter

PEER pressure has been identified as the number one deterrent of gum litter, according to the Gum litter Taskforce (GlT), the national awareness campaign which aims to make gum litter an issue of the past.

Research published recently to coincide with the National launch of the 2023 GlT Campaign revealed that negative perception by others was the primary reason that those surveyed no longer littered their gum waste (58%). Knowledge of the €150 fine was also a leading factor, followed by negative experience of chewing gum litter.

The findings highlight the continued impact of the GlT, a joint initiative of the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, food Drink Ireland, and the chewing gum industry, which has played a key role in promoting proper gum litter disposal, since its launch in 2007. 87% of people now report proper gum disposal, versus 49% when the campaign began – an increase of 77.5%.

Now in its sixteenth year, the GlT campaign travels to local authorities and schools across the country hosting its Summer and ‘Bin It!’ interactive Roadshows, which promote responsible gum disposal by highlighting the environmental impacts of gum and general litter.