Gum litter at 10-year low as ‘Bin It!’ roadshow makes stop in Louth

The Gum Litter Taskforce Bin It! Roadshow hit the road and visited Louth recently to continue to bring the fun and educational tour to schools across the county.

Throughout the visit students from Scoil Phadraig Naofa, Scoil Mhuire na Trocaire and Castletown Girls' School were treated to a fun, actor-led performance that brings the anti-litter message to life through humour, storytelling and interactive learning. As part of the Gum Litter Taskforce’s (GLT) national education campaign, the school roadshow is designed to help young people understand the simple difference they can make by disposing of gum (and other litter) responsibly and help them learn more about what they can do to help care for their local environment.

The latest National Litter Pollution Monitoring System (NLPMS) 2024 Report shows that chewing gum now makes up just 7.3% of all litter nationally, down from 8.6% in 2023 – marking the lowest level in over ten years.

While overall gum litter continues to decline, litter linked to schools and schoolchildren still accounts for around 4% of all cases nationwide — underlining the importance of early education and awareness programmes like Bin It! Research has shown that lifestyle patterns and habit formation begin at an early age, with schoolchildren thought to be most receptive to social influence from ages 11 to 14 years of age*, meaning the Roadshow plays a key role in developing proper litter disposal habits.

Over the next seven weeks, the Gum Litter Taskforce’s Bin It! education programme will visit 70 schools across 24 counties, performing for students across the country.

For schools not registered for this year’s Bin It! Roadshow, the Gum Litter Taskforce will also continue to provide useful lesson plan material on its website, with materials made available to almost 730 schools across Ireland to date.

Avril Donlon, Chair of the Gum Litter Taskforce, said:“We’re so pleased to be launching the 2025 Bin It! Roadshow. Each year, the enthusiasm we see from students is amazing, and it’s clear that these performances really do make a difference to student’s attitudes towards litter. Seeing the rate of gum litter fall again this year shows the impact of the GLT campaign, and the importance of that education and awareness piece. As we kick off another year of the Roadshow, we’re excited to keep building on that success.”

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Anne Sheeran, Corporate Affairs Specialist, Mars Ireland, said:“What’s so powerful about Bin It! is that it helps young people connect their choices to the bigger picture. When students realise that dropping a piece of gum contributes to national litter levels, you can see the lightbulb moment happen. It’s that awareness that builds long-term change, and Mars Wrigley are so proud to play a part in that!”

The GLT education campaign is fully funded by Mars Wrigley, and free for all participating schools. The GLT campaign also includes a roadshow that travels throughout the country in the summer months promoting responsible gum behaviours with the help of local authorities, TV and online advertising campaign, as well as an accompanying website www.gumlittertaskforce.ie.