20/07/2012

Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.

South Dublin County Councilis rampingup activity in its “Bin it your way” campaign. As an active participant in the high-profile national Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT) awareness campaign, Mayor Councillor Cathal King highlighted the need for the people of South Dublin Countyto continue and increase the level of awareness of gum litter.

This week, Clondalkin Tidy Towns and South Dublin County Council took the opportunity to distribute gum wraps and other campaign materials to visitors to Clondalkin Library ..

“Gum litter defaces the footpaths and streets of our village Clondalkin. Gum litter is a semi-permanent feature and very difficult to remove. Clondalkin Tidy Towns support the proper disposal of gum litter in the bin” said Ronan Connolly, Chairperson, Clondalkin Tidy Towns

Co-ordinated by the GLT in association with local authorities throughout Ireland, the national Gum Litter Taskforce awareness campaign aims to reduce the amount of gum litter in the easiest way possible; by discouraging littering – the root cause of the issue – and encouraging the public to “bin it your way”.

“This year’s campaign is fun and engaging. I’ve seen young people perform all sorts of cool moves to bin their gum. There’s an incredible level of imagination, momentum and creativity brought to this year’s campaign. I’m really impressed and will continue to spread the word to family, friends and colleagues. It’s in all our interests and I’d ask you to please ‘bin it your way’. It’s the responsible and the right thing to do,” said Mayor King

Paul Kelly, Chairman of the GLT explained the theme of the 2012 campaign, “bin it your way”. “We’ve engaged with a team of professional dancers who have come up with a series of moves. The dance crew have travelled to all 23 local authority areas which are taking part in the “bin it your way” campaign. We’re appealing to people to dispose of their gum in a fun and creative way, just don’t throw it on the ground. We would encourage everyone to come up with a unique move of their own,” he stated.

The campaign is interactive and encourages the public to check out the “bin it your way” facebook page and upload their own dance moves, they can also been watched on www.gumlittertaskforce.ie

For further information:
Issued on behalf of the Gum Litter Taskforce

Paul Kelly, Chairman Arnold Dillon
Gum Litter Taskforce IBEC Press Office
Tel: 01 605 1621 Tel: 01 605 1638
Mobile: 087 202 5545 Mobile:087 923 8188

Notes to the Editor:

The campaign also includes:

· A schools education programme aimed at first year secondary school students called “Bin It!” This includes an actor-led workshop tour which takes place in schools each autumn. Tools and materials are available for teachers to download and integrate into lesson plans.

· A mass media advertising campaign (outdoor, print, online and radio) will run for approximately three months.

· Distribution of point of sale materials to over 1,000 retailers around the country.

· Litter monitoring by local authorities to see how much littered gum is reduced on the streets as a result of the campaign

· Sponsorship of five categories in the Tidy Towns awards.

There are 23 local authorities participating: Dublin City Council, Cork City Council, Waterford City Council, Limerick City Council, Galway City Council and the County Council’s of, Clare, Donegal, Laois, Roscommon, Meath, Wexford, Sligo, Kilkenny, Fingal, Westmeath, South Dublin, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, South Tipperary, Waterford, Kerry, Galway , Leitrim, and the town council of Ennis.