The annual Bin It! campaign has taken to the streets again with its visits to schools across the country in a bid to educate and raise awareness of issues surrounding litter and correct litter disposal amongst students.
Students from Mountmellick Community School, Mountmellick, Co Laois participated in the Bin It! workshop that visited their schools.
Bin It! features an actor-led workshop which visits secondary schools across participating local authority areas.
The workshop, which is aimed at first and second year students, incorporates a theatre-in-education session which encourages students to dispose of gum litter, and litter more generally, in a responsible manner.
Bin It! forms an integral part of the Gum Litter Taskforce’ (GLT) gum litter education campaign which seeks to encourage correct gum disposal.
Established in 2006, the Gum Litter Taskforce includes members of the chewing gum industry, represented by Mars/Wrigley Ireland, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Food Drink Ireland, local authority representatives and civic society.
This is the 12th year the Bin it! campaign has toured across the country, with 463 schools visited and a total of 51,101 students having taken part since the campaign first began in 2006.
Speaking of the Bin It! campaign, Chairman of the GLT, Paul Kelly said; “The latest report of the National Litter Monitoring Pollution System has shown that the percentage of chewing gum as a proportion of litter has dropped to 8% in 2017 from 15% in 2016.
“Such a drop makes us all the more confident that our awareness paignraising of issues surrounding gum litter is really resonating with the public.
“Enthusiastic and active participation amongst our young people in initiatives such as Bin It! is a key driving force behind these positive results and I am delighted to see the campaign take to the road once again this year.”
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