Leitrim County Council welcomes Gum Litter Taskforce Roadshow promoting cleaner communities
Over 4 in 5 (82%) young people now say littering is socially unacceptable, but just 3 in 5 (61%) young people see gum as litter
The Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT), in partnership with Leitrim County Council, welcome a stop of its 2026 Summer Roadshow in Leitrim, promoting responsible gum disposal, cleaner communities and greater awareness of Ireland’s transition to a circular economy.
The visit comes as research from the Gum Litter Taskforce reveals that littering is now viewed as socially unacceptable by more than 4 in 5 (82%) young people. However, almost 1 in 4 young people still do not regard chewing gum as litter, highlighting the need for continued education and awareness.
Encouragingly, more than 9 in 10 people (92%) now report properly disposing of their chewing gum – the highest level recorded since the campaign began in 2007.
Welcoming the campaign, Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council, Cllr. Paddy Farrell, said: “I want to welcome the Gum Litter Taskforce to County Leitrim and to Carrick-on-Shannon, Ireland’s Tidiest Town. I wish to highly commend this National Awareness Campaign in changing behaviour and eradicating gum litter.
Leitrim County Council and the Environment Department of Leitrim County Council are delighted to collaborate with the Gun Litter Taskforce again in 2026. Chewing Gum is one of the most visible and unsightly forms of litter in our public spaces. So much effort goes in to maintaining our public spaces by the council working together with Tidy Town teams and volunteers. Disposing irresponsibly of gum causes harm to our environment. It takes years to decompose naturally and ultimately costs the public purse to clean it up.”
Avril Donlon, Gum Litter Campaign Manager at Food Drink Ireland, added: "This latest research shows real progress, with more young people recognising that littering is unacceptable and taking action. Our focus remains on making responsible gum disposal the norm and continuing to build on the positive behaviours we are seeing across communities nationwide."
Anne Sheeran, Corporate Affairs Manager at Mars Wrigley, said: “We at Mars Wrigley are proud to support the Gum Litter Taskforce as part of our broader commitment to responsible business and sustainability. This campaign is delivering measurable change and helping to shape positive habits, with more people choosing to bin their gum and encouraging others to do the same. Through continued collaboration, we can build on this progress and further reduce gum litter in our communities.”
The Summer Roadshow will visit locations nationwide throughout June, July and August, while the Bin It! programme will return to schools from October.
Educational resources are available at www.gumlittertaskforce.ie.