A COUNTY-wide campaign is under way in Carmarthenshire to encourage people to dispose of their chewing gum responsibly.
Carmarthenshire County Council recycling staff have visited establishments across the county to raise awareness of the problem of dropping chewing gum.
The venues include the University of Wales Trinity St David’s Students’ Union; Coleg Sir Gâr’s Pibwrlwyd and Ammanford campuses; Llanelli’s Ffwrnes Theatre and Carmarthen’s Lyric Theatre; Carmarthen and Amman Valley leisure centres, and pubs and shops across Carmarthen.
Council officers will be taking part in a student event this Thursday in Guildhall Square, Carmarthen, to promote the message. They will be handing out gum wraps to discourage students from dropping their gum on the floor and will offer advice to discourage other forms of littering including cigarette butts. They will also be available to discuss the council’s kerbside recycling collection service.
The most effective and sustainable solutions to tackle the problem are increased awareness, education and promoting a responsible attitude amongst gum droppers.
The activity is taking place as part of a national campaign by the Chewing Gum Action Group.
Executive board member for environment Cllr Hazel Evans said: “It is extremely difficult and expensive to remove chewing gum from the pavement and it is a major issue.
“This campaign aims to tackle the problem at its source by educating people not to drop gum in the first place.”
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