Fifty-two councils across the UK – including Ealing – are to receive a share of £1.2 million in government and industry funding to tackle chewing gum litter on high streets, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has announced.
The grants, issued in collaboration with environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, mark the fourth round of support from the Chewing Gum Taskforce, a public-private initiative launched in 2021 to combat the costly and unsightly problem of gum littering. Among other places in the UK set to benefit from the funding are Harrow, Cardiff, Watford and Bradford.
Ealing Council has been allocated £26,787 as part of the latest scheme.
This builds on earlier support the borough received. In 2023, Ealing Council was awarded £25,000, which was used to buy new machines to remove gum from the streets and to produce banners and posters encouraging people to change their behaviour and not spit out gum in public.
According to the council, it said at the time it was targeting three locations – Greenford Station, Northolt Station and South Ealing Station – which were some of the worst places impacted by chewing gum.
Preventative efforts continue today. The council confirmed: “We use posters, banners, signs and other forms of communications, some of which is provided by Keep Britain Tidy, in targeted areas in the borough. These materials have been proven to be successful in changing people’s behaviour over the past three years we have used them.”
Speaking to EALING.NEWS, an Ealing Council spokesperson said of the new 2025 funding: “Our cleansing teams do a great job and this extra money to help remove chewing gum in four targeted locations will provide cleaner places for the people who live, work and play in our borough.”
The four locations for targeted cleaning are:
- Yeading Lane, Greenford – Tangmere Gardens junction
- 470–500 Church Road, Northolt
- Ealing Broadway – from McDonald’s to Starbucks opposite Ealing Broadway Station
- Greenford Station – Oldfield Lane North
Environment Minister Mary Creagh said: “Chewing gum litter is a stain on our communities. These grants, funded by gum producers, will empower local councils to tackle this issue head-on, delivering cleaner streets for all.”
