The findings highlight the continued impact of the GLT, a joint initiative of the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, Food Drink Ireland, and the chewing gum industry, which has played a key role in promoting proper gum litter disposal, since its launch in 2007. 87% of people now report proper gum disposal, versus 49% when the campaign began.

Speaking at the launch in Merrion Square, Minister Ossian Smyth welcomed the latest research and the return of the GLT campaign for the second year of its fifth cycle: “The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications is proud to play a part in this important initiative. Since 2007, the Gum Litter Taskforce has helped to drive a significant shift in attitude towards gum litter; gum litter now stands at 8.6% of all litter according to the 2022 National Litter Monitoring Survey, a remarkable decrease from the 26.4% it stood at when the campaign first began. “Each cycle of the campaign has delivered demonstrable progress in reducing gum litter on our streets, showing the impact that cross-collaborative initiatives such as this one can have. I look forward to continuing with our good work with industry and local authorities to build on the continued success of the GLT campaign to ultimately eradicate gum litter.”

Gum Litter Taskforce Project Manager, Jonathan McDade of Food Drink Ireland, welcomed the return of the campaign, and praised its success to date: “We are delighted to be launching the 2023 Gum Litter Taskforce campaign with the support of the Minister Ossian Smyth and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications. Each year of the campaign has delivered significant improvements, and we look forward to continuing our education and local authority engagements nationwide over the coming months. We remain committed to making gum litter on the streets of Ireland a problem of the past.”

Corporate Affairs Specialist at Mars Ireland, Anne Sheeran, also welcomed the announcement: “Mars Ireland has been a proud partner of the Gum Litter Taskforce for the past 16 years. We are delighted to be kicking of the 2023 campaign with the support of the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications. We look forward to engaging with local authorities and students across the country to highlight positive environmental messages around proper gum disposal.”

This year’s campaign will see representatives from the Gum Litter Taskforce working with local authorities and communities to carry out education and awareness initiatives that demonstrate the proper means of gum disposal and raise awareness of the environmental and fiscal impacts of improper disposal.

Then, in September, the Gum Litter Taskforce’s Bin It! education programme will travel across the country and deliver over 60 performances a year to primary and secondary schools nationwide, with the ambition to visit 180 schools by 2025. This is in addition to useful lesson plan material that has been made available to almost 730 schools across Ireland.

Key highlights include:

• The latest results of the National Litter Pollution Monitoring report showed the percentage of gum as a proportion of litter at 9.1%, down from 9.4% the previous year (2020).
• Campaign awareness across OOH , TV & Online is at a record high level !
• Post campaign surveys show that nearly 9 in 10 (87%) claim to dispose of their gum correctly.
• Nearly 7 in 10 people agree that the campaign is at least fairly likely to stop them dropping gum, the highest level seen in the current campaign.
• 45% of respondents claimed that they stopped dropping gum because they saw the Bin-It campaign, up from 41% in 2019.
• 60% of people said the campaign has made them want to change the way they get rid of their gum.
• The Bin It! Roadshow visited 5,476 students in 54 primary and secondary schools across Ireland.
• 100 pieces of media coverage were secured during the 2022 campaign.

Key highlights include:

• The latest results of the National Litter Pollution Monitoring report showed the percentage of gum as a proportion of litter at 9.4%,down from 10.6% the previous year (2019).
• More than three in five (63%) people agree that the campaign is at least fairly likely to stop them dropping gum, the highest level seen in the current campaign.
• 48% of respondents claimed that they stopped dropping gum because they saw the Bin-It campaign, up from 41% in 2019.
• 60% of people said the campaign has made them want to change the way they get rid of their gum.
• The new Bin It! virtual show launched in October to 730 secondary schools across Ireland.
• 128 pieces of media coverage were secured during the 2021 campaign.

Speaking at the official launch of the 2019 campaign, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Richard Bruton said; “I am delighted to launch the 2019 Gum Litter Taskforce Campaign today here in Raheny. Tackling gum litter is part of a much wider challenge – how we dispose of waste properly and use our resources effectively more generally. Litter on our streets is a very tangible, visible example of the kind of damage that is being done. The GLT campaign has made great progress over the years in enacting positive behavioural and attitudinal change amongst the public when it comes to proper gum disposal, but more is required. Together, we must continue to work hard to tackle the issue of littered gum for the betterment of our environment and the overall streetscape of the communities in which we live and this campaign is very important in that regard.”

Paul Kelly, Chairman of the GLT added; “Since its inception, the GLT campaign has sought to educate the public on the correct manner in which to dispose of used gum in a bid to tackle improper gum disposal. The latest research results have shown how this ambition has been made a reality, with 88% of people now saying that they always dispose of their gum correctly. Going forward, we will look to build on these positive results further still and will continue in our efforts to fully rid our streets of littered gum. Today’s national campaign launch marks the beginning of a broader nationwide campaign which includes an advertising campaign and a school’s education programme, Bin It!”.

Katherine Hogan, Corporate Affairs Director, Mars Ireland said; “Mars Wrigley Ireland are delighted once again to be part of this positive and vibrant campaign. Through awareness raising and educational initiatives, the GLT campaign has had demonstrable success to date in changing behaviour and attitudes towards gum litter and encouraging positive gum disposal. Although industry funded, the GLT campaign would not have been able to reach the heights which it has to date without the enthusiastic buy in and hard work of local authorities and local communities right around the country in tackling the issue of littered gum head on. As ever, we look forward to matching this spirit of enthusiasm through our continued support for this campaign and to playing our part in tackling the issue of gum litter shoulder to shoulder with communities the length and breadth of the country. 

The 2019 campaign is the second in a three-year cycle which commenced on foot of a negotiated agreement between the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and Food Drink Ireland (FDI) representing the gum industry.

Each of the local authorities will launch their own campaigns in the coming weeks. The 25 participating authorities are: Cavan County Council, Clare County Council, Cork City Council, Cork County Council, Clare County Council, Dublin City Council, Donegal County Council, Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council, Fingal County Council, Galway County Council, Kerry County Council, Kildare County Council, Laois County Council, Leitrim County Council, Limerick City and County Council, Longford County Council, Louth County Council, Monaghan County Council, Roscommon County Council, Sligo County Council, South Dublin County Council, Tipperary County Council, Westmeath County Council, Wexford County Council and Wicklow County Council.

Welcoming the renewal of the agreement, Minister Naughten said:

“The agreement to renew this initiative for the three-year period to 2020 represents a genuine commitment by industry to finding a solution to improper gum disposal.  Monitoring results since 2008 have demonstrated an improvement in gum litter levels over the course of each Gum Litter Taskforce campaign, with a consistent reduction in gum litter as a proportion of total litter from 30.8% in 2008, falling annually to a low of 11.2% in 2015, as measured by the National Litter Pollution Monitoring System Report.  This demonstrates that the campaign has had a positive impact and I am confident that this new agreement will see further reductions in gum litter levels.”

The renewed programme will continue to focus on achieving a lasting change in gum disposal behaviour, by encouraging people to put used gum in a bin. Several important elements will be continued, including the 'Bin It' school tour- a school educational workshop programme aimed at 14-16 year olds.  The new agreement will also include a multi-media gum disposal messaging campaign, responsible chewing gum disposal messaging on packaging and standalone experiential events.

The programme is comprehensive and highly targeted in order to address the root cause of the problem.  Acknowledging the industry's commitment to continuing to invest in tackling the issue of gum litter through research and development, the Minister said that he believes industry is genuinely committed to finding a solution to the particular problems caused by the improper disposal of chewing gum.

"This is a well thought out example of Government and industry working positively and constructively together to improve our environment to the benefit of all our citizens."