Gum Litter Task Force visits Macroom as Cork towns in bid to clean up

Deputy Mayor of the County of Cork, Martin Coughlan together with the Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT), Cork County Council and Macroom Tidy Towns took to the streets of Macroom this week to demonstrate the proper means of gum disposal and raise awareness of the environmental and fiscal impacts of gum litter. Pictured with the Deputy Mayor are Clara and Erin from St Joseph's Primary School and Damien and Reese from St Colman's Boys NS, with Sheila Murphy from Macroom Tidy Towns. Picture: Diane Cusack
As Tidy Towns committees shine up their localities in anticipation of visits by competition adjudicators, the town of Macroom has been visited by the Gum Litter Taskforce as part of its roadshow campaign to promote positive gum litter disposal.
The taskforce is collaborating with Cork County Council to highlight the importance of proper disposal through fun education and awareness initiatives that highlight the negative environmental impacts of chewing gum litter, and draw attention to the €150 gum litter fine.
According to the taskforce, gum litter has reduced by almost 70% since 2007 and it has also disclosed that 92% of people are reporting the proper disposal of their chewing gum.
New research suggests, however, that one in 12 people it they still drop their gum on the ground and men are twice as likely to do this as women.
Then Mayor of County Cork, councillor Joe Carroll, said the taskforce is a "great initiative".
"As a council, we are committed to working with campaigns such as the Gum Litter Taskforce, that promote responsible litter disposal behaviours, and result in cleaner communities," he said.