The Council will be tackling the chewing gum plague affecting some of our streets, thanks to Welsh Assembly Government Tidy Towns funding.
 
The first phase of the chewing gum clean up operation will include a blitz approach by specialist contractors in some of the worst affected areas of the county:

• Bangor – around the cathedral
• Caernarfon – Turf Square, Bus Station
• Penrhyndeudraeth – High Street
• Pwllheli – High Street, Y Maes
• Blaenau Ffestiniog - Church Street, High Street
• Dolgellau – Eldon Square 

The Council’s Highways and Municipal Services will be using the latest hot steam technology to remove gum without damaging pavement surfaces. This process uses a combination of steam heat and an environment friendly detergent to break down the sticky mess, leaving a harmless powder which can then be brushed away.
 
The second phase of the project is to use funding from the Assembly Government’s Tidy Towns Scheme to purchase two machines to carry out the work. One will remove chewing gum and the other will remove graffiti as well as gum.
 
Members of Gwynedd Council’s Community Gangs will be trained to use the machine and there are plans to forge partnerships with other agencies such as the Community Safety Partnership and the Probation Service to move ahead with the task of making Gwynedd an even better place to live.
 
Gwynedd Council’s Senior Environment Portfolio Leader, Councillor Gareth Roberts, said: “As chewing gum removal is an expensive process, we would prefer not to have to keep coming back to remove gum from the same places time after time. Therefore, Gwynedd’s Street Enforcement Wardens, working in partnership with North Wales Police, will be keeping a close eye on the situation.”
 
New Clean Neighbourhoods rules mean that used chewing gum is now legally defined as litter and anyone found throwing or spitting their chewing gum onto the street could find themselves facing a fixed penalty fine of £75. Refusal to pay this could result in a Court appearance, with a maximum fine of up to £2,000.
 
Councillor Roberts added: “There is no excuse for making a mess of our streets with used gum. It should be put into a litter bin, or rolled up in its original wrapper and taken home for disposal.”
 
Help to keep Gwynedd’s streets clean and say “No Thanks” to chewing gum litter. Members of the public who wish to report any environmental crimes to Gwynedd Council’s enforcement team can do so by telephoning (01766) 771000 or visit the website www.gwynedd.gov.uk/KeepGwyneddTidy