Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council tackle a sticky situation

The Chewing Gum Task Force was established by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and is run by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.

Chair of the Environmental Services Committee, Councillor Martin Gregg said: “This funding has enabled us to purchase specialised gum removal equipment and hire dedicated staff to remove gum stains in pilot areas this Autumn.

"We will also install new signage in those areas to encourage residents and visitors to bin their gum.

“Chewing gum staining makes our streets look grubby and uncared for and is particularly difficult to remove. Littering is a criminal offence, which can result in an on-the-spot fine of £80.

"We encourage everyone to bin their gum and other litter responsibly in the litter bins provided across Lisburn and Castlereagh.”