Government to consider Wiltshire’s proposal to combat chewing gum litter

The Government will consider a proposal put forward by a Wiltshire Council employee to increase the tax on chewing gum to help cover the cost of clearing it up. Bruce Purvis who works as a local studies librarian in Salisbury made the suggestion in response to Wiltshire Council publicity promoting the Sustainable Communities Act. This is a new law, introduced in 2007, which provides a way for local people to ask central government to take action on things they believe will improve their area.

The proposal was one of 20 ideas submitted from Wiltshire into a national selection process. The chewing gum proposal has been shortlisted by the Local Government Association and will now be put forward to the Government for consideration, and possible implementation.

Chewing gum litter is a widespread problem which is expensive and difficult to clear up. This proposal would see a 15p levy put on each pack of chewing gum to help councils cover the estimated £150 million national cost of clearing it up. The extra income could help to pay for additional street cleaners and jet washers to hose chewing gum off the pavement. The proposal also encouraged Government to insist that manufacturers used biodegradable ingredients.

Bruce Purvis, who came up with the idea, said: “When I saw the publicity asking for suggestions for new ideas to improve the environment it seemed obvious to me that targeting chewing gum would be a perfect project. “I felt sure that by putting the cost up on chewing gum and using the extra income to help councils clear it up could potentially save millions of pounds every year aswell as get rid of an awful problem on our streets. I think it makes perfect sense.”

Councillor Christopher Williams, portfolio holder for communities at Wiltshire Council, said: “Tackling the curse of chewing gum on our pavements would improve the look of streets across Wiltshire and across the country. It’s time to take on the people who persist in littering our streets with disgusting blobs of sticky gum. “Councils find it extremely difficult to catch the people who spit out their gum onto the street. Placing a levy on chewing gum would help pay for the expensive process of cleaning it up when it is dropped on the pavement. This idea has the potential to save councils millions of pounds every year.”