Business Students Join Forces to Prevent Gum Littering

Business students from NPTC Group of Colleges have been encouraging the public to help clean up the streets of Neath as part of a new community initiative.

The Student Gum Challenge has been launched by the Neath Rotary Civic Pride with the help of the Colleges’ business students who worked with the club as part of their Welsh Baccalaureate qualification in a bid to eliminate the amount of chewing gum littered around Neath’s town centre by encouraging appropriate disposal of used gum.

The initiative will start immediately with young people and students being encouraged to dispose of their chewing gum by wrapping it up and disposing of it in a bin.

It is hoped the initiative will help to keep the streets clean and promote a positive image of the town.

The students also got the opportunity to talk about the project on BBC Radio Wales’ Jason Mohammed show. A Level student and current Interact President, Harri Mason Evans, said:

“It’s so important for young people, children and students to feel part of their community, and to take ownership of their town. It’s been great that the Rotary Club and the College have listened to the voice of its students and get behind this project.”

The Mayor of Neath, John Warman, was at the launch of the event with the leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Ali Thomas, and a number of students from NPTC Group of Colleges.

Mr Warman said: “Discarded gum on the streets can make the environment look shabby and uninviting to residents, visitors and business investors which can give a wrong impression.

“Removing gum can cost UK councils over £1 million annually. It is a health hazard for people, animals and birds, and offenders risk a £100 fine.

“I am delighted to support this gum pollution project in conjunction with the Rotary Club and College students.

“The project will produce positive results that are likely to benefit the whole community with cleaner streets, and less people will be ashamed that their streets are so dirty. It will also get rid of any reputation Neath has of streets covered in gum.”

To hear the full BBC Wales Radio interview, please click here (it’s 45mins into the show).