NEWS : Post

Gummy Bin

Straight plc is pleased to announce its exclusive distributor agreement with Gummy Bins Ltd to solve the sticky chewing gum problem for local authorities.

The Gummy Bin is the world's first collection and recycling system for chewing gum. Its range of innovative, quirky bins offers a convenient way for people to dispose of their gum whilst making a positive contribution to the environment.

Jonathan Straight, chief executive of Straight plc said "This is a fantastic addition to our range of recycling solutions that we can offer to our customers and we are delighted to have teamed up with Gummy Bins Ltd."

Each Gummy Bin encloses a reusable cartridge system that holds up to 500 pieces of spent gum and enables the used gum to be recycled. Amazingly one of its main uses is to be reprocessed into drainage systems for football pitches.

As discarded chewing gum is now classed as litter under the Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act, local authorities are responsible for the cleaning and removal of gum in towns and cities across the UK. Mr Straight adds: "Chewing gum is a universal problem which local councils spend millions of pounds on every year. Now they have access to a proven solution which dramatically reduces cleaning costs and solves one of the worst litter problems of the last 50 years."

Over twenty local authorities including Rochdale, Dudley, Tonbridge & Malling and Solihull installed the DEFRA accepted Gummy Bins in 2006. The results are impressive, showing a reduction of up to 75% chewing gum deposits in the vicinity of the bins*.

Donna Rogers, technical & performance officer at Dudley MBC said "From monitoring our nine test areas, we can see that the bins have had a huge impact on the amount of gum still being dropped on the ground. The count before the campaign totalled 2,253 pieces of gum and the count taken in September of the same test areas only totalled 86 pieces of gum."

*Figures collated from Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, Fife Council, Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.