Galway Bay FM Newsroom - Galway County Council has officially launched a chewing gum litter education campaign for 2021.
It's a product of the Gum Litter Taskforce, a collaboration that includes stakeholders from Government, the food and drink industry and local authorities.
The Gum Litter Taskforce was set up in 2007 to tackle the prevelance of chewing gum litter through awareness campaigns.
At that time, just 54 percent of people said they disposed of their chewing gum in the correct way.
Four national campaigns and 13 years later, that figure has risen to 88 percent.
The clear shift in awareness around chewing gum is reflected in national litter stats - with chewing gum now accounting for a drastically lower proportion of littering nationwide.
The campaign is now making a return in an effort to ensure towns and villages remain clean from the scourge of chewing gum on public roads and paths, as many more people are socialing outdoors.
It's been officially launched in Galway by Cathaoirleach Councillor Peter Keaveney - who's urging communities to do their county and locality proud by supporting the campaign.
