Longford County Council welcomes Gum Litter Taskforce Roadshow

Promoting responsible gum disposal and cleaner communities

Press Release: Monday, 28 September 2026 

The Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT), in partnership with Longford County Council, took to the streets of Longford this week to encourage people to bin their gum, helping to keep communities clean while avoiding a €250 litter fine. Now in its seventh cycle, the GLT campaign is a successful collaboration between industry, government and local authorities and is funded by Mars Wrigley. Longford County Council has been a proud supporter of the initiative since its launch in 2007.

The GLT visit to Longford coincides with research from the Gum Litter Taskforce which reveals that littering is now viewed as socially unacceptable by more than four in five (82%) young people. However, almost one in four young people still do not regard chewing gum as litter, highlighting the need for continued education and awareness. Encouragingly, more than nine in ten people (92%) now report properly disposing of their chewing gum – the highest level recorded since the campaign began in 2007. 

Special thanks was extended to young people from Comhairle na nÓg, students from St. Mel's College, Meán Scoil Mhuire, Longford Town and Templemichael College who took part in the recent launch of the Gum Litter Taskforce campaign locally.

Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Gerry Hagan said, "Keeping Longford’s streets, parks and public spaces clean requires a collective effort. Campaigns such as the Gum Litter Taskforce help raise awareness of the impact of littering while reducing the need for costly gum removal works. By encouraging people to bin their gum when they're done, we can all play a role in creating cleaner, more attractive communities and supporting a more environmentally responsible county."

Longford County Council Chief Executive Samantha Healy said, “Longford County Council remains committed to tackling all forms of litter through a mix of enforcement and public engagement. Initiatives like the Gum Litter Taskforce play a vital role in promoting responsible behaviour and we’re proud to continue our long-standing support for this important campaign.”

The GLT environmental awareness roadshow is visiting supporting local authorities nationwide, while the Bin It! programme will return to schools from October. This is in addition to useful lesson plan material that is available to schools free at www.gumlittertaskforce.ie. To further support the GLT campaign, a nationwide advertising campaign is also being activated across Irish television and radio channels, paid media poster sites and online digital advertising.