Chewing gum is part of daily life for many. A habitual breath freshener for some and a mere annoyance to others who cringe at the litter dotted pavements. The act of chewing gum traces all the way back to the ancient Greeks. But do we know what the sticky stuff is really made of?
What is in gum?
Whilst the earliest forms of gum were plant-based resins extracted from trees, most of the sticks we chew today are composed of synthetic petroleum derivaties – plastics. They include; butyl rubber, polythyene and polyvinyl acetate, which are also used in diesel, plastic bags and glue, respectively. These ingredients are often disguised under the name “gum base” on labels, and these plastics provide gum with the chewiness we know and love.
Chewing gum’s environmental impacts
Chewing gum contributes 100,000 tonnes of plastic pollution annually. An estimated 80-90% of chewing gum is not disposed of properly, making it the one of the most littered items on streets. In Singapore, the chewing gum litter issue became so large, it was banned in 1992.
Due to its plastic contents, chewing gum is non-biodegradable. Meaning, it won’t naturally break down into organic matter. Instead, littered gum is left to photodegrade into microplastics. There is also a high probability of being rain-washed into our oceans, accumulating additional toxins on the way.
Microplastics are extremely harmful to marine life, poisoning animals who confuse them for food, which often brings the microplastics back onto our dinner plates through the food chain. The small percentage of gum that is properly binned, will just end up sitting in a landfill. As if that isn’t bad enough, plastic gum is typically packaged in more plastic, further adding to our global plastic waste problem.
Despite having been cemented as a significant ecological health threat, gum appears to be sticking around. Valued at 105 million USD (83 million GBP) in 2020, the global chewing gum market is predicted to grow to 133 million USD (105 million GBP) by 2027.
To combat chewing gum waste and help keep it out of our oceans, some gum recycling bin initiatives have popped up. These companies process chewed gum, transforming it from waste into a rubber material which can be used to make items including pencils, shoe soles and door stops. Whilst these are excellent recycling programmes, they’re not yet widely available. You and the planet will be better off by simply chewing less plastic based gum.
The Alternatives?
Luckily, if you’re someone who derives mental and/or physical benefits from chewing gum, such as reduced stress, improved breath and protected teeth, you don’t have to quit cold turkey to reduce the environmental harm from your chewing habits. Instead of munching on plastic which may end up polluting the ocean, opt for a sustainable alternative. Look for a plant-based, biodegradable, plastic-free chewing gum with lower impact. Th ese chewing gums have returned to the original recipes, using natural gum bases like chicle, harvested tree sap. It is better for the environment as well as the consumer’s health. So the next time someone offers you a piece of plastic based gum, share this article with them and let them know what they’re really chewing on.