Sunderland puts new gum-busting kits to work tackling sticky streets
Sunderland City Council is stepping up efforts to clean chewing gum from city centre streets, thanks to new specialist equipment funded through the Chewing Gum Task Force.
Work to remove gum began in July across key areas including Park Lane, Holmeside, Low Row and Fawcett Street, with completion expected by the end of October. The council's environmental services teams are carrying out a rolling programme of cleansing using two previously funded gum-busting backpacks and a new gum-busting barrow. The equipment works by applying a mix of detergent and heat to soften and lift gum from paving stones, restoring surfaces to a cleaner, more attractive state.
The focus has been on some of the busiest streets in the city centre and areas with high footfall that have long suffered from persistent gum littering. The work is already making a visible difference, with patches of once ground-in gum being completely removed. This work follows on from previously funded work on High Street West and Market Square.
The equipment will remain in use beyond the current clean-up programme, meaning the council can continue to target hotspots across the city whenever they arise. This will help make sure the grant is not just about a one-off removal effort but about building long-term capacity to deal with chewing gum litter. Alongside physical cleaning, the council is also encouraging residents to dispose of gum responsibly, through added signage and public messaging.
Councillor Lindsey Leonard, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Net Zero, said: "Everyone wants to see a cleaner, more welcoming city centre and neighbourhoods. This scheme means we can not only remove the gum that scars our pavements but also encourage people to take more pride in their local environment.
"Small actions like binning gum properly make a big difference, and with this equipment we can keep tackling the issue head-on."
The chewing gum clean-up is supported by the Chewing Gum Task Force, administered by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy and funded by major gum manufacturers. Now in its fourth year, the scheme has already helped more than 50 councils across the country reduce gum littering, with monitoring showing reductions of up to 80% in the first two months after targeted street cleaning and signage installation.
Chewing gum costs UK councils an estimated £7 million a year to clean up, with around 77% of England's streets and 99% of retail sites affected. Sunderland's new equipment means the council can address the problem more effectively, while also contributing to wider efforts to change behaviour and prevent gum from being dropped in the first place.
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Keep Britain Tidy's chief executive, said: "Chewing gum continues to be an unsightly form of litter in our public spaces - though thankfully the scheme is leading to significant reductions. Disposing of gum irresponsibly causes harm to our environment and costs the public purse to clean it up. Sunderland's work shows how these grants are making a real difference on the ground."
