The Chewing Gum Action Group has invited local authorities to apply for paid-for advertising to support campaigns to tackle the issue of chewing gum litter, after the 2006 campaigns saw reductions in gum litter of up to 72%.
Thirteen authorities saw reductions of between 7% and 72%, with just one authority reporting an increase. The average outcome was a reduction of 38%, with a high recall of campaign messages reported.
Funding from the Chewing Gum Action Group helped finance campaigns across England between May and October 2006 under the banner ‘Thanks for binning your gum when you're done'. The Group paid for advertising, which was supported by local authorities' initiatives, included working with business and youth groups, trialling alternative methods of disposal, and increasing the visibility of enforcement and fines for gum litter.
Campaigns will run for a four week period in August or September 2007.
Legal issues
Chewing gum and smoking related materials were explicitly defined as litter under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. The offence of dropping litter, under section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act, can lead to a maximum fine of £2500 after summary conviction or liability can be absolved through a fixed penalty notice.
The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 gave greater powers and flexibility for local authorities to enforce against local environmental offences. The Fixed Penalty Notice level can now be locally fixed within a proscribed range (between £50 and £80 for litter) and a discount can be offered for early payment. In addition employees of a parish or town council and contractors working on behalf of a local authority can be authorised to issue fixed penalty notices subject to meeting requirements in relation to training and competence.