What was brought here by the Americans?  Is banned from some buildings? Is often unsightly when being sampled?  But always disgusting when being discarded?  Chewing gum.  And the latter statement is never truer than when it is being discarded onto pavements. 

 

New specifically designed bins for the deposit of chewed gum are being provided by Harrogate Borough Council and should improve things in the town centres of Boroughbridge, Harrogate, Pateley Bridge and Ripon.

 

Disposing of chewing gum is easy.  Pop it in a bit of paper and put it in a bin or take it home in your pocket.  Either will do but to make it even easier for people to discard their gum these special bins are being placed in some of the hot spots around the district and will bring paper and bin together.

 

Ask anyone in the district what offends him or her most and the answer is often the sight of chewed gum.  It is becoming a major blight in the 21^st century where dog fouling held that place in the 20^th.

 

Public attitude and legislation has helped to drive down incidences of dog dirt and it is hoped that the same will become true of gum.

 

Councillor Les Ellington, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services has welcomed the news that the government has now included chewed gum in the legal definition of litter, which makes the offence illegal.  He said:  "Of course chewed gum is litter.  All of us witness it every day because of its Dalmatian effect on our pavements.  Cold weather makes it black and warmer weather in summer turns it white. 

 

"People that carry out this disgusting habit of irresponsibly discarding their gum are warned, we are upping the ante and more spots will follow with wallet hitting 'on the spot fines'.  If the provision of these new bins does not see a dramatic decrease in discarded gum then they should be aware that we are already turning to the legislation.  And yes we will enforce, but there are a few procedures we have to go through to empower more of our staff to help in handing out these fines."

 

The council is also testing out a surface covering which could make gum removal from footpaths much easier and quicker and save the tax payer money.  Removing gum from pavements is time consuming, costly and can sometimes damage the surface beneath it because of the need for high-powered hoses and hot temperatures.  ENDS ... photo opportunity see below.