Bright pink chewing gum bins return to Colchester
They'll re-appear in 36 gum litter hotspots
Bins specifically for chewing gum are back in Colchester from today.
The bright pink bins were taken away in June, after what the Borough Council say was a 'misunderstanding' over licence renewals.
Twenty of them will be at 36 gum-litter hotspots.
Cllr Simon Crow, Colchester Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability, said:
"The Gumdrop bins have proved to be hugely successful in helping to keep the town's footpaths free of chewing gum over the last 18 months. In the first year of the trial, we recorded seeing 48%* less gum on our streets, a trend we are committed to seeing continued, which is why I am pleased that the bins are being reinstalled.
"We are aware that some people are not happy with the colour of the bins, but it is Gumdrop's trademark colour pink, and they are designed to be recognised so people know to leave gum in them.
"The bins improve the cleanliness of our streets, save money and help the town become more eco-friendly, a scheme we should all be proud to have in our town. They also support our commitment to ensuring a clean and tidy town centre."
When full, the town centre gumdrop bins are collected by Gumdrop® Ltd and taken for processing to be recycled into new bin inserts, Gumdrop key rings and other recycled items called Gumtec. The bins themselves are also made from recycled gum.
Gumdrop Ltd is the first company in the world to recycle and process chewing gum into a range of new compounds that can be used in the rubber and plastics industry. According to its statistics, it costs local authorities approximately £150 million pounds a year to remove chewing gum litter from the streets.