Courtesy of Daily Mail on Line:
Milton Keynes set to become the first town in Britain to BAN chewing gum
- Anyone caught chewing gum in the town would face an on-the-spot fine
- It is aimed at cutting the cost of removing gum trodden into pavements
- The Singapore-style ban is being proposed by businesses in the area
- Traders found 22 pieces of gum in just one square foot of pavement
By ALEX GORE
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Anyone caught chewing gum would face an on-the-spot fine under the proposal, which was drawn up after 22 pieces of discarded gum were found in just one square foot of pavement.
Those in favour of introducing the ban point to the cost of removing gum, the nuisance caused by it sticking to people's shoes and the eyesore it creates.
The proposal has been put forward by After8, a group of businesses in the Buckinghamshire town, which plans to lobby the council to adopt it as policy.
The group wants resident to give their views on the plans as it looks to boost its case with the local authority.
After8 spokeswoman Carmel Blyth said it can cost up to 10p to remove a single piece of gum trodden into the pavement, which includes paying for the chemicals and manpower.
She said it is also unsightly, and added: 'Cleaning this mess up is an impossible task, it is costly and takes time, not to mention unpleasant.
'We are also trying to get the message across the people to be considerate. I is a problem in central Milton Keynes but I also think it is a nationwide problem.'
Chewing gum has been banned in Singapore for around 20 years, but the authorities made an exception for those with doctors prescriptions in 2004.
Clean: The pavements of Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire could soon be chewing gum free
The strict ban on selling, importing or manufacturing gum was brought in by the city state's founding father, Lee Kuan Yew, who was fed-up with the litter.
Vandals were also reported to have been leaving used gum in keyholes and mail boxes as well as on buttons inside lifts.
Anyone caught breaking the ban by chewing gum can be fined but not, as has often been claimed, sentenced to corporal punishment.
Smugglers face a stiffer penalty, up to a year in prison and a fine equivalent to around £10,000.
Lee Kuan Yew once responded to criticism that banning gum stifled creativity because people could not concentrate,by saying: 'If you can't think because you can't chew, try a banana.'
Costly: Removing a single piece of chewing gum trodden into the pavement can cost up to 10p
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Chewing gum pollution is caused by conscious decisions we (humans) make each time we put a piece of gum in our mouth. Where to put it when we are done with it? Spit it out or search for a piece of paper to wrap it into and throw it away? It's easy to unwrap gum and chew it. Why has it become so difficult to dispose of it responsibly?
On one hand, I am happy that this type of action is finally taking place. It's too bad though that it has come to this point and our legislators have to waste their time and our money to make decisions for us and pretty much tell us what we can or cannot do with a piece of gum. If that doesn't make you stop and think, I don't know what else will.
