Sticky solution

Bath BID’s dedicated cleaners have never been shy in tackling the gum issue in this heritage city – but now the organisation has decided preventing it getting stuck on our pavements might be an even more effective way of saving on labour.

Say a bright hello to the Bath Business Improvement District (BID)’s new Gumdrop chewing gum recycling points. The pink bins can be found in various locations around the city centre, offering a convenient and eco-friendly way for people in Bath to dispose of their chewing gum.

It costs councils around the UK £150 million per year to remove chewing gum litter from our streets, and although putting chewing gum into a standard bin helps keep the streets clean, chewing gum disposed in this way will end up in landfill.

Gumdrop Ltd was set up to tackle the global problem of chewing gum litter and is the first company in the world to recycle and process chewing gum into a range of compounds that can be used in the rubber and plastics industry.

The Gumdrop recycling points themselves are manufactured from used chewing gum, and once full, the whole Gumdrop along with the waste gum is recycled and processed to manufacture new Gumdrops.

Bath BID CEO, Allison Herbert, said: “We are delighted to be spearheading this initiative in Bath, which offers a great way to improve the cleanliness of our streets, save money and help the city become more eco-friendly. In the current climate, people are more conscious than ever about cleanliness and avoiding germs, and our new Gumdrop recycling points will help ensure Bath’s city centre is a clean and safe place to spend time in.”