Oswestry has a colourful new weapon in the fight against litter – bright pink chewing gum bins that turn a sticky nuisance into recycled products, helping to keep the town clean and tidy.
The ‘Gumdrops’ are being trialled for two years outside Costa and Home Bargains, following a proposal by Cllr Fiona Wilson to the Town Council last October.
The Mayor of Oswestry cllr Rosie Radford and representatives from The Marches School attended the launch today (Tuesday 10 March).
Once the bins are full, the gum will be collected and recycled to produce new bins and other useful items, giving discarded gum a second life rather than a permanent home on the pavement.
With Keep Britain Tidy research revealing that chewing gum is the second most common form of litter in the UK staining 77% of England’s streets, councillors welcomed this new initiative as a practical and positive step forward.
The Mayor of Oswestry cllr Rosie Radford said: “Binning gum so it can be recycled into something useful, rather than dropped on the floor, is a no-brainer. We are always looking for new ways to keep Oswestry tidy, and this is a great opportunity to work with our community. The Marches School is considering installing one and is keen to see how the trial goes. I really hope the Gumdrop bins help change people’s behaviour.”
Pam Robinson, careers adviser at The Marches School, was joined by Year 10 students Seth and Cian. She said: “It’s great to get young people involved. This initiative fits well with campaigns they’ve run on litter. We really hope it takes off and has some impact.”
Mayor of Oswestry cllr Rosie Radford with Seth and Cian from The Marches School at the Gumdrop by Home Bargains, and Seth and Cian at the Gumdrop by Costa.
Picture credit: Graham Mitchell.
