Don’t spit your gum; stick it here

INSTEAD of big signs telling people not to spit gum on the pavements, Besançon has instead put up panels inviting them to stick their gum on amusing pictures of ladybirds, chameleons, jaguars and an octopus – and it is saving thousands in cleaning bills.

The novel idea has seen nearly three dozen panels being set up across the town centre and they collect more than 1,000 pieces of chewing gum a week.

A mairie spokesman said it had previously cost €240,000 a year to clean gum off the streets, but that had been slashed to €40,000, plus €60,000 for the panels and regular disposal of gum.

Since the first panels were put up seven years ago the mairie estimates that the amount of chewing gum on the pavements has been cut by half.

The Franche-Comté capital is now in contact with other communes who want to follow up the idea.