Its tap water may still be sullied but Galway hopes its city streets will be far less so if a new campaign against "gum litter" proves successful.
"On behalf of loafers, winkle pickers and snakes in cowboy boots, thanks for binning your gum when you're done" is one of the slogans unveiled in Eyre Square yesterday as part of the State-wide initiative.
Galway City Council is one of 15 local authorities selected for the "gum litter action campaign". The project, which was run on a pilot basis last year in Dublin and Cork city centres and Bray, Co Wicklow, is supported by the Department of the Environment and the gum sector, as represented by Ibec's Food and Drinks Industry Ireland.
Dr Sharon McHugh, Galway City Council's environmental education officer, said the annual street-cleaning bill in Galway was €1.8 million. Chewing gum-removal represented a "significant part" of this.
The campaign to use litter bins is underpinned by the Gum Litter Taskforce, and will involve outdoor, in-store and "around store" advertising, point-of-sale material and the promotion of a greater awareness of litter-law enforcement.
Taskforce chairman Paul Kelly said the three pilot campaigns had proved successful.
"The campaign concentrated on the positive message of saying 'thank you' to people who did dispose of their gum responsibly, whilst reminding those who did not of the fact that the litter warden service is there to punish them."
