The ‘Chew Plants Not Plastic’ campaign, run by City to Sea and plastic-free chewing gum provider Nuud Gum, has submitted an open letter to Steve Reed, the Environment Secretary. A complete ban on plastic chewing gum is the main subject of the letter, with campaigners voicing their concern that most consumers may not be aware that chewing gum is a single-use plastic.
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Chewing gum litter on pavements.
The letter goes on to detail that approximately four billion pieces of plastic gum is consumed annually in the UK, which is the equivalent to four billion plastic straws. Meanwhile, there is an estimated 87% of UK pavements that have been impacted by gum litter, costing millions of pounds to clean.
“Plastic pollution isn’t just an environmental crisis—it’s a human health emergency. Shockingly, chewing gum is made of plastic, meaning every chew is like biting into a plastic straw,” said Jane Martin, CEO at City to Sea. “It breaks down into micro-plastics that are inhaled, ingested, and absorbed into our bodies. Scientific evidence links this to obesity, fertility issues and cancer. It’s time for the UK to take the final stand against plastic gum and pollution for the health of people and the planet.”
Individuals featured in the open letter include:
- Sian Sutherland (Co-Founder of Plastic Health Council).
- Amy and Ella Meek (Co-Founders of Kids Against Plastic and Plastic Clever Schools).
- Jane Martin (CEO of City to Sea).
- Rebecca Prince-Ruiz OAM (Founder of Plastic Free July).
- Daniel Webb (Founder and Director, Everyday Plastic).
- Jo Royle (Founder of Common Seas).
- Charlotte Davies (Managing Director of Common Seas).
What is Nuud gum?
Founded by BBC Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Keir Carnie, Nuud gum uses sustainably harvested tree sap in its chewing gum recipe. The company claims that large gum brands often use the term ‘gum base’ to avoid disclosing the use of plastic in their products. In fact, the ‘Chew Plants Not Plastic’ campaign claims plastics like polyethene, polyvinyl acetate, and butadiene-styrene rubber could feature in the gum you chew.
“Big Gum is today’s Big Tobacco and is responsible for a major health and plastic pollution crisis,” said Carnie. “Plastic gum manufacturers have proven unwilling to change their damaging ways, so we’re calling on the Government to address these four billion pieces per year problem and ban the sale of plastic gum.”