A scientist at Bristol University reckons he will have a prototype non-stick chewing gum ready for testing in two months after linking up with a major manufacturer.
Terry Cosgrove, professor of physical chemistry at Bristol University, said a polymer he has developed had attracted “enormous interest” from the gum industry, which has come under increasing pressure to help councils pay towards the cost of removing it from the streets.
He said: “This could be commercialised easily, and would add no significant cost to the amount you’d pay for a pack of gum. The only issue is getting approval for my molecule as a foodstuff, which means we may have to go through the GRAS [generally regarded as safe] application procedure.”
His findings come in the wake of a campaign launched by Westminster Council and backed by councils in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast calling on manufacturers to contribute 1p per pack to contribute to the clean-up.
Alison Ward, head of communications at the Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate and Confectionery Alliance, said: “Technical solutions are important, so this could be a real breakthrough. However, the most important thing is stopping people from dropping gum in the first place, and the industry is committed to funding initiatives to get people into the habit of putting gum in the bin.”