Special bins suggested in efforts to tackle Oswestry's 'gum problem'
Installing designated bins to tackle a “gum problem” in a Shropshire town will be put to councillors this week.
Oswestry Town Council will hear the motion from Councillor Fiona Wilson on Wednesday (September 10). She is proposing to run a small pilot of having two bins which could be used outside Home Bargains and Costa, which she says are “very high gum areas.”
Councillor Wilson has highlighted the work of Gumdrop Ltd, which has promoted itself as being the first company in the world to recycle waste chewing gum by converting it into compounds that can be used in many different applications.
“I am not aware of anywhere else in Shropshire using these,” said Councillor Wilson.
“They are also made from recycled gum which is in line with all our decisions having a green component. This, I have to admit, is close to my heart, but again in the desire to improve the look of the town, and the fact that we have a gum problem.”
Councillor Wilson added that the cost of a two-year subscription is around £700, but she is asking the council to allocate a budget of £1,000 to cover some promotion costs and materials.
“This budget, from the neglected area budget, would also cover the cost of cleaning the two locations to allow monitoring to take place,” she said.
Councillor Wilson said she has already been in touch with the head of the Sixth Form and Duke of Edinburgh Award of The Marches School.
“Both were on board with my idea of their sixth formers creating a presentation about littering and dropping gum, to give to primary schools,” she said.
“This would cover the social requirement of their D of E and, I think, make the message more accessible to younger children.”
She is also putting forward another motion which requests the council investigates installing bicycle parking in the town centre.
She is proposing a sheltered bike stand against the castle wall, opposite the market mural, as the first location.
“There is a lack of secure and easily identifiable cycling parking in Oswestry and in particular in the Bailey Head area,” said Councillor Wilson.
The town council will be asked to confirm sustainable locations, a budget, and to see if it would be possible to have them installed this year.
