Chewing-gum manufacturers to fund anti-litter campaign

Chewing-gum manufacturers have reportedly agreed to pay €2m annually to fund efforts to reduce the amount of litter caused by their products on Irish streets.

Reports this morning said the funding was part of a deal agreed with Environment Minister Dick Roche in light of the Government's decision last year to abandon its plans for a chewing-gum tax.

Former Environment Minister Martin Cullen proposed the idea of the tax in 2002, but Mr Roche abandoned the plan last March following lobbying from the US Ambassador on behalf of Wrigley's.

The minister said he was instead giving manufacturers like Wrigley the opportunity to draw up their own proposals for reducing chewing-litter.

Reports this morning said these companies had now agreed to hand over €2m annually to fund education and advertising campaigns on chewing-gum disposal, as well as extra bins and increased enforcement activity.

The reports said the chewing-gum levy would have raised between €4m and €5m annually, but Mr Roche was insisting that the new deal with manufacturers would be more effective in reducing litter.