NEWS RELEASE
Date: 2 March 2007
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Out of hours telephone 020 7270 8960
Local authorities cut chewing gum litter by up to 72% with public awareness campaigns
The Chewing Gum Action Group is today inviting 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%.
Results for the fifteen authorities who successfully bid for and ran campaigns last year are published today. 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 underpinned 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.
Letters have been sent to all local authorities in England today to mark the start of the application process for the 2007 campaigns. The application form and guidance notes are available online at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/gum/actiongroup/index.htm
Campaigns will run for a four week period in August or September 2007.
The authorities which took part in 2006 were:
Local Campaign |
% change during campaign |
Bristol |
- 42% |
Chesterfield |
- 41% |
Colchester |
- 52% |
Hertsmere |
- 51% |
Horsham |
- 7 % |
Kensington and Chelsea |
+ 38 % |
Lancaster |
-37% |
Leeds |
- 32% |
Lewisham |
- 22% |
Medway |
N/A* |
Plymouth |
- 58 % |
Solihull |
- 72% |
Stoke |
- 60% |
Trafford |
No data returned |
Wigan |
- 56% |
Average % change |
-37% |
* Medway were unable to collect accurate measurement data.
Notes to editors
1. The Chewing Gum Action Group (CGAG) is chaired by Defra and its members include EnCams (which run the Keep Britain Tidy Campaign), LGA, CIWM and industry.
2. The development of the 'Thanks for Binning Your Gum, When You're Done' campaign was informed by research into the attitudes and awareness of gum droppers commissioned by the Group in 2004. See www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/gum/actiongroup/index.htm for more information.
3. Following the success of the 2006 campaign, the CGAG is currently working with design agencies to evolve last year's campaign for campaign for 2007, with the objective of changing people's behaviour and educating people on the responsible disposal of chewing gum.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. The latest Local Environmental Quality Survey of England found chewing gum staining in 96% of primary retail and commercial sites.
End
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Page published:2 March 2007