Elements of humour, storytelling and interactive performances are being used to bring responsible litter disposal and the circular economy to life, for students across Limerick, as the Gum Litter Taskforce’s (GLT) Bin It! Roadshow returns.
Over the past week or more, students from Colaiste Chiarain Croom, St John the Baptist CS, Our Lady’s Abbey and Our Lady’s Abbey were visited by The Bin It! education campaign, bringing its anti-litter message into classrooms through a fun, actor-led show.
Research on litter behaviours shows that littering is seen as ‘socially unacceptable’ by over four in five (82%) young people, yet just three in five (61%) identify gum dropped on the street as litter. This highlights a continued gap in awareness and the importance of education programmes like Bin It!
However, more positively, almost 4 in 10 (37%) of the 16–34-year-old cohort reported that the GLT campaign had encouraged them to properly dispose of their gum, highlighting the importance of ongoing education and awareness efforts. The performance promotes responsible gum litter behaviours by educating students on the principles of the circular economy: reducing waste, reusing resources and recycling materials where appropriate to keep them in use for longer. It helps students understand how everyday choices can contribute to cleaner communities and more sustainable use of resources.
The programme builds on last year’s tour, which visited 63 primary and secondary schools and reached approximately 6,000 students.
‘BIN YOUR GUM, WHEN YOU’RE DONE!’
“We’re delighted to bring the Bin It! Roadshow back to schools across Ireland!” Avril Donlon, Gum Litter Campaign Manager at Food Drink Ireland, said. “What makes Bin It! so effective is that it takes a simple but important message and makes it fun, engaging and easy to remember: ‘Bin your gum, when you’re done!’
“The show also helps students understand the bigger picture, introducing the principle of the circular economy and showing how everyday choices around waste and resources can make a real difference. By making these ideas practical and relatable, we hope to encourage positive habits that stay with young people beyond the classroom and into their communities.”
Bin It! forms part of the GLT’s wider national campaign, which promotes responsible gum disposal through local authority events, advertising and educational resources. In addition to the Roadshow, all schools can access the campaign’s educational materials for free at www.gumlittertaskforce.ie.
