Throw used chewing gum in the dustbin of history - Alliance

12.25.58pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 22nd Sep 2006

Castlereagh Alliance Councillor, Sara Duncan

Castlereagh Alliance Party Councillor Sara Duncan, has called on people to bin their chewing gum instead of throwing it onto the pavement.

The Cllr Sara Duncan said: "I call on people to dispose of chewing gum in street bins, instead of throwing it onto pavement, as it is very unsightly and difficult to remove.

"Dropping chewing gum on the street is like littering only worse, the mess can sometimes never be cleaned off.

"Saturday is the 158th anniversary of the launch of chewing gum. I am sure very few people will be celebrating this little known date.

"The multi-coloured manifestation of dollops gum which decorate our pavements and public spaces, do absolutely nothing to enhance our surroundings.

"People should consign their used gum to the dustbin of history, instead of dropping it onto the street. In the summer, the discarded gum melts and it acts like glue on the pavement.

"Local councils spend large amounts of valuable funding on scraping gum off pavements. If people stopped dropping gum, this money could be spent in more important sectors.

"I would appeal to everyone who likes chewing gum to wrap it up and put it in a bin. I hope that people will chew over this idea and swallow it and not the gum!"

ENDS