Gum recycling in the pink

A major shopping centre in Newry, the Buttercrane, is the first commercial premises in Northern Ireland to install the fun, pink Gumdrop bins to help customers dispose of chewing gum responsibly. Pink Gumdrops are being found more and more, particularly in town centres, where their BRIGHT pink directs the responsible disposal of chewing gum.
(Visual of Gumdrop bins)

Gumdrop Ltd, founded by Anna Bullus in 2009, is the first company in the world to recycle and process chewing gum into a range of new compounds that can be used in the rubber and plastics industry.

Gum-tec® is used to manufacture the Gumdrop bins. There are small on-the-go Gumdrop holders designed for individuals. Once the Gumdrop is full, the whole Gumdrop along with its contents of waste gum is recycled and processed to manufacture new Gumdrops.

Processed chewing gum can become a vast number of things from wellington boots, to mobile phone covers, stationary, packaging and much more.

If you have any idea for what gum can become, visit gumdropltd.com and share your thoughts. Mars Wrigley Confectionery is a Gumdrop partner.

The 2018 Bin It! anti-littering educational show is on the road, both across the UK and in the Republic of Ireland, playing to audiences of 12-13 year olds in schools. The performances are audience interactive with students asked for their suggestions to reduce littering. One response of note: Conveyor belts on the kerb to carry litter away.