Residents and visitors to Caerphilly county borough are being told ‘don’t drop it on the floor – it’ll cost you a packet’ as part of a national crackdown on chewing gum litter.
Caerphilly County Borough Council has pledged its support for a nationwide campaign run by the Chewing Gum Action Group (CGAG), aimed at reducing the amount of chewing gum litter on streets and pavements across the country.
Cllr Lyn Ackerman, Cabinet Member for the Environment said, “I am pleased that we are supporting this national campaign to tackle the sticky issue of chewing gum litter. Not only can discarded chewing gum be a real nuisance for pedestrians, it is also extremely unsightly and very costly to clean up.”
The council’s cleansing team uses special high-pressure jet spray machinery to remove chewing gum from streets and pavements. In addition to this, a team of enforcement officers patrol the county borough to ensure that people are disposing of their chewing gum and other litter correctly.
Cllr Ackerman continued, “The vast majority of residents and visitors to our county borough do take their environmental responsibilities seriously, but there are still a small minority who do not cooperate and still feel it is acceptable to drop chewing gum and other litter.”
“Those caught dropping litter of any kind this will receive a fixed penalty notice of £75 without exception. Through supporting this national campaign we hope to further highlight our determination to put an end to these issues in our local area, and therefore improve the environment for visitors and residents alike”, she added.
To report chewing gum litter or any other environmental concern, please call Caerphilly StreetPride on 01443 866 566 or visit www.caerphilly.gov.uk/streetpride.
