Bexley is one of 52 councils across the country to successfully apply for funds from the Chewing Gum Task Force and will receive £27,488.65.
The money will be used to clean gum off pavements in Sidcup High Street, Station Road, in Sidcup, and Market Place, in Bexleyheath, as well as to prevent further littering.
The clean-up effort, organised by Keep Britain Tidy, will begin in late summer and will last for ten weeks.
Specialist equipment will be used to remove gum from pavements, and new signage will be installed to encourage people to dispose of their gum responsibly.
Richard Diment, Bexley councillor responsible for neighbourhoods, said: “Keeping Bexley clean and green is a top priority for the council and this gum clean-up activity, along with other initiatives such as investing in new smart litter bins specifically for gum and cigarette butts, will help make our borough a greener place to live in and an attractive place for visitors and businesses to thrive.”
Estimates suggest that the annual cost of cleaning up chewing gum across the UK is around £7 million.
According to Keep Britain Tidy, about 77 per cent of England’s streets and 99 per cent of retail sites are stained with gum.
The clean-up in Sidcup follows a successful gum litter removal in Bexleyheath town centre in the autumn of 2024, after which the new signs were installed.
In total, 20 new smart bins were also fitted on lamp post columns in Bexleyheath town centre to make it easier for people to dispose of their chewing gum and cigarette litter.
These combined initiatives have resulted in a marked reduction in gum litter there.
It is hoped this success will be repeated in Sidcup.
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive, added: “Chewing gum continues to be an unsightly form of litter in our public spaces – though thankfully the scheme is leading to significant reductions.
“People need to remember that disposing irresponsibly of their gum causes harm to our environment as it takes years to decompose naturally – and, ultimately, costs the public purse to clean it up.”
The council has also issued a warning to those who litter or drop cigarette butts, stating that doing so is an offence and will result in an on-the-spot fixed penalty notice of up to £300.
