Gum Litter Taskforce roadshow to return to Cork

The Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT) ‘Bin It! Roadshow’ is set to return to Leeside, visiting six schools across Cork this month.

The roadshow, which commenced this week, will see representatives visit 70 Schools across 24 counties, including Cork, over the course of the next seven weeks.

This year’s campaign has been described by organisers as the biggest to date, with visits set on October 22, 23, and 24 across Kinsale Community School, Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí, Nagle Community College, Edmund Rice College, Scoil Mhuire College Cork, and Coláiste Eamann Rís.

The roadshow is an actor-led performance that brings the anti-litter message to life through humour, storytelling, and interactive learning.

As part of the GLT’s 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.

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 more than 10 years.

The same report found that passing pedestrians remain the main cause of litter, accounting for almost 40% of cases.

While overall gum litter continues to decline, litter linked to schools and schoolchildren still accounts for approximately 4% of all cases nationwide, underlining the importance of early education and awareness programmes.

Avril Donlon, chair of the GLT, said the organisation is “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,” Ms Donlon said.

“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.”