DOUGLAS Council has teamed up with the UK Chewing Gum Action Group to launch an anti-chewing gum litter campaign.
The ‘Do Douglas Proud – Bin Your Gum’ campaign will send out a message that dropping chewing gum in a public place is a littering offence attracting a £50 fixed penalty.
The campaign will begin on May 23 in Duke Street, between its junction with Victoria Street and Wellington Street. To highlight the staining effect caused after chewing gum is dropped on to paved surfaces, the 40-metre stretch of pavement will have been deep-cleaned across its full width, shopfront to shopfront, the previous day.
A staining count will be conducted for 28 days starting on May 23, after which the pavement will be deep cleaned again, gum build-up during the 28-day period measured and normal cleansing routines will be resumed thereafter.
Councillor Ritchie McNicholl stated that chewing gum is the most difficult type of litter to deal with and more extreme and costly methods are used to remove the gum which can have rate-borne implications.