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The littering of chewing gum has always been a problem in the UK. You can’t walk 50 metres without seeing white blobs cover the pavement. It’s unsightly; it degrades the area, and it continues to harm the environment for up to 25 years of it being discarded.
So why do people do it? Is it down to groupthink? Do people think one more blob on the pavement won’t matter? Or could people not care less about the cleanliness of their streets? Perhaps younger people are not educated enough – they just don’t realise the harm they’re doing to our streets. Luckily local councils are aware of this, and more and more ad campaigns detailing the issue crop up every year.
The problem is at large, and unfortunately the solution is not outlined in bold. Singapore’s government attempted to ban chewing gum back in 1992, however this was relaxed ten years later as part of a trade deal with the US. Meanwhile some areas in the UK have introduced on-the-spot fines of £50 for litterers. To an extent this has worked, with 400 people last year being prosecuted for littering in the streets. However, on the flipside this endeavour costs more money for the council, and could even discourage tourism for the area, intimidating members of the public. It’s quite the predicament.
Many people agree the best thing to do is recruit a chewing gum removal company – a group of specialists who use proper gum removal equipment in practices such as pavement impregnation and jet-washers. Organisations such as Defra agree this is the best solution for reducing instances of chewing gum litter, and in some instances it has been a successful endeavour. The clean-up operation of Trafalgar Square cost a mere £8,500, vastly improving the beauty and richness of the area whilst increasing its amount of tourism and commerce.
Indeed, these specialist companies are involved in a wide variety of street cleaning campaigns. Eliminating not just chewing gum but any instance of urban decay, including unsightly graffiti and other forms of vandalism. Using the very best in street cleaning equipment these specialists are able to make any area of decline beautiful again, whether it be a public area such as a train station or children’s playground to a more private or business area plagued by vandalism and deprivation.
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