Why it matters: Chewing gum costs UK councils around £7 million annually to clean up, with 77% of England's streets stained by discarded gum.
The big picture: The Chewing Gum Task Force, run by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy and funded by major gum manufacturers including Mars Wrigley and Perfetti Van Melle, awarded grants to 52 councils across the country.
In its third year, the Task Force awarded 54 councils grants worth £1.585 million, helping clean an estimated 500,000m² of pavements. According to Keep Britain Tidy, 99% of retail sites are stained with gum.
Previous funding enabled the council to invest in specialist equipment, install behaviour change signage, and work with schools and community groups to raise awareness and prevent gum litter.
What's working: Monitoring shows areas that received funding in the first two years saw gum littering reduced by up to 80% in the first two months, with reductions still observed six months after targeted cleaning and installation of behaviour change signage.
This year's focus: The funding will target key town centre areas including the Cornhill, the Waterfront, and popular attractions such as Portman Road, Christchurch Mansion and Ipswich Minster.
What they're saying: "We're thrilled to have secured grant funding for the fourth consecutive year in a row to support our waste team in tackling chewing gum litter across Ipswich," said Councillor Phil Smart, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Transport.
"Ipswich is proud to be one of only six councils in the UK to have received this funding throughout the entire duration of the scheme. This recognition reflects the ongoing dedication of our waste team, who, for context, work hard every day to make our town a clean and welcoming place for everyone."
The bottom line: Ipswich will use the £27,500 to continue removing gum from town centre locations while implementing measures designed to prevent future littering.
