Chewing Gum Accounts for 1/4 of All Food Litter on Streets
Wednesday the 23rd of April 2008
Minister for the Environment John Gormley
TD, has announced that on-the-spot fines for littering are to be raised
by €25 to €150, for anyone found to be littering. Chewing gum accounts
for one quarter of all food litter dropped on Irish streets.
The Minister said that chewing gum manufacturers need to step up and
should be contributing more to the removal of chewing gum from our
streets. He said that the chewing gum industry needed to do more to
target this problem stating that they should be paying towards the
excessive cleaning costs of chewing gum removal. Mr. Gormley said that
an agreement reached with the industry by the last Minister for the
Environment "needed to be reviewed". He also warned that unless the
situation improves, a levy on packets of chewing gum would come into
consideration in the next 18 months.
Tom Coffey CEO of the Dublin City Business Association welcomed the
Ministers comments and intent to review present policy. "The present
policy on chewing gum is ineffective and should be replaced by a ban or
tax on chewing gum", he said. "Chewing gum has ruined city streets all
over Ireland and creates huge costs for business ratepayers. Any taxes
on chewing gum should be ringfenced for local authorities and Business
Improvement Districts. Spending money on regulations or PR campaigns on
chewing gum is a waste of money. What is needed is to remove chewing
gum from city streets, not talk about it," he added.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley TD, has announced that on-the-spot fines for littering are to be raised by €25 to €150, for anyone found to be littering. Chewing gum accounts for one quarter of all food litter dropped on Irish streets.
The Minister said that chewing gum manufacturers need to step up and should be contributing more to the removal of chewing gum from our streets. He said that the chewing gum industry needed to do more to target this problem stating that they should be paying towards the excessive cleaning costs of chewing gum removal. Mr. Gormley said that an agreement reached with the industry by the last Minister for the Environment "needed to be reviewed". He also warned that unless the situation improves, a levy on packets of chewing gum would come into consideration in the next 18 months.
Tom Coffey CEO of the Dublin City Business Association welcomed the Ministers comments and intent to review present policy. "The present policy on chewing gum is ineffective and should be replaced by a ban or tax on chewing gum", he said. "Chewing gum has ruined city streets all over Ireland and creates huge costs for business ratepayers. Any taxes on chewing gum should be ringfenced for local authorities and Business Improvement Districts. Spending money on regulations or PR campaigns on chewing gum is a waste of money. What is needed is to remove chewing gum from city streets, not talk about it," he added.