Chew Plants Not Plastic

Did you know most chewing gum contains plastic? Yes, that piece of gum in your mouth is actually made from the same plastics found in carrier bags, shampoo bottles, and even car tyres.

And we brits chew a whopping 4 billion pieces of plastic gum.

Every. Single. Year.

Alongside Nuud Gum, we’re launching a petition to ban plastic chewing gum, mandate clear labelling of ingredients and promote better plastic-free alternatives. It’s time to ban plastic gum, and chew plants instead! We’ll be taking the petition and the open letter to parliament on 25th February along side some of the UK’s leading plastic charities, so sign the petition and add your voice today. 

It’s time for transparency, accountability, and a ban on plastic gum. 

At City to Sea, we’ve been tackling the tide of single-use plastics, from straws to bottles. Now, we’re turning our attention to a hidden but pervasive problem: plastic chewing gum. Yes, that piece of gum in your mouth is actually made from the same plastics found in carrier bags, shampoo bottles, and even car tyres. It’s time for transparency, accountability, and a ban on plastic gum.

The majority of consumers are unaware that regular chewing gum is, in fact, a single-use plastic. Hidden behind the ambiguous term “gum base” are synthetic polymers such as polyethylene (commonly used in plastic bags), polyvinyl acetate (found in PVA glue), and butadiene-styrene rubber (which is used in car tyres). Consumers deserve to be fully informed about the products they are consuming, and they are entitled to better alternatives.

In the UK, approximately four billion pieces of plastic gum are consumed annually. This is equivalent to four billion plastic straws. Each day, Brits collectively chew and discard the equivalent of a bus full of plastic gum.

Microplastics have been found in human blood, brains, and even breast milk. Plastic toxins have been linked to some of our most concerning health issues, including cancer, diabetes, and infertility. Given this, it is troubling to think that the vast majority of consumers are unknowingly chewing plastic. 

Furthermore, 87% of UK pavements are littered with plastic gum, which costs taxpayers millions of pounds every year to clean up. Even when disposed of responsibly, gum is either sent to landfill, incinerated or ends up contaminating our waterways. It is time to take action to protect both public health and the environment.

Innovative companies have demonstrated that chewing gum can be made from plant-based, biodegradable, and plastic-free ingredients. These alternatives offer a healthy and sustainable solution to plastic chewing gum. 

If we can ban single-use plastic vapes and straws, there is no reason why we cannot take similar action against plastic gum.

We are calling upon the UK Government to:

1. Ban the production and sale of plastic chewing gum, including any gum that contains synthetic polymers disguised under the term “gum base.”
2. Mandate clear labelling of ingredients, ensuring that consumers are fully informed about what is in their gum. Transparency is crucial.
3. Promote plastic-free alternatives, supporting the development and availability of sustainable, non-plastic chewing gum options that benefit both public health and the environment.

We are a movement of the UK’s leading plastic charities including Kids Against Plastic, Plastic Health Council, Common Seas, Everyday Plastic and a cohort of over 900 Plastic Clever Schools. With your help, we can rid the UK of plastic gum for the good of the British public and our planet.

We also invite you to our campaign launch day on the 25th February between 11am and 2pm outside Parliament, where we will be raising awareness about this serious issue and being covered by the national media. This would be a fantastic opportunity for you to engage directly with our movement – in particular, concerned students from Plastic Clever Schools and sustainability advocates about the urgent need for action.

We welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter further and would be grateful for your response outlining how your department intends to address this pressing concern.

Let’s spit plastic gum out for good.

Sincerely,

City to Sea & Nuud Gum

Jane Martin, CEO, City to Sea               Keir Carnie, Founder & CEO, Nuud Gum