500 tons of chewing gum

[dowlingm]

Chewing gum ban in Singapore

[PVC King]

Roche decides against chewing gum levy
From:ireland.com
Wednesday, 25th January, 2006


Minister for the Environment Dick Roche has decided against a levy on chewing gum in favour of a deal with manufacturers, including Wrigleys, to contribute to a public awareness campaign, and to fund research.

The Minister announced details of the public awareness campaign today which he hopes will encourage people to end the practice of dropping chewing gum on the streets.

A pilot programme will include advertising and education campaigns in towns, extra bins and research into combating the problem of gum stuck to pavements.

Mr Roche decided against a levy despite a 2002 report which called for a tax on packets of chewing gum to help street cleaners meet the multi-million costs of clearing the litter up.

"If you put a 100% levy on chewing gum you might actually stop some people chewing but you wouldn't stop them spitting it out on the streets," Mr Roche said.

"What you've got to do is change attitudes in this particular area, and you've got to work with the various partners.

"It has worked elsewhere, and it has worked in areas which are very difficult.


"I've no doubt whatsoever that this is a challenge, to actually change public attitudes is the most difficult thing to do, but to change public attitude requires a different approach," he said.

Mr Roche also told RTE he had held discussions with the distributors of Dublin's free newspapers and was confident they would take responsibility for the litter problems caused by the publications.

From Ireland . com via eircom

[Morlan]

That won't work hear, will it? A complete ban on the stuff is the only way, which will also never happen here.

[anto]

That won't work hear, will it? A complete ban on the stuff is the only way, which will also never happen here.

Not one for civil liberties are we!


Thank God we still live in a free country. I accept that with with freedom comes responsibilities like disposing of chewing gum and treating public space and fellow citizens with respect. But banning something like chewing gum seems draconian and excessive State intervention in peoples lives.

[Frank Taylor]

How successful will a public information campaign be at reaching those most likely do spit out chewing gum on the street? I'd guess children and antisocial adolescents are the least influenced by do-good government information campaigns.

Sony understood this by advertising their games machine using the format of an anti-drugs ad put out by the Society Against PlayStation (SAPS).

Lets repeal the plastic bag tax and run ads on TV imploring people to do without.

[ctesiphon]

They are not just not interested. I'd guess that, for some at least, such a campaign would have entirely the opposite effect.

The original levy was to fund cleaning, afaik, but why couldn't the Govt impose the tax and use it to fund the educational campaign? If the money's coming from the industry surely there's a chance that manufacturers will just hike prices to cover it- same result but Dickie isn't the bad guy.

Or maybe the IRDA got to him again?

[Frank Taylor]

Second time lucky. Another try at chewing gum tax - six years later!

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0427/1224269159959.html