Chewing gum can be bad for the environment. It is made of plastic, like the material used in car tyres.
Many people are shocked to learn this. Most gum packages do not tell you what is inside. They just say “gum base.”
This “gum base” can have chemicals like styrene-butadiene, polyethylene, and polyvinyl acetate. These are also used in plastic bags and glues.
The chewing gum market is very big. In 2025, it might be worth about $49 billion. A lot of it comes from just a few companies, like Wrigley.
People make about 1.74 trillion pieces of gum each year. This means over 2 million tonnes of gum are produced. When you throw away gum, it does not break down. It stays in the environment for a long time.
Cleaning up gum is hard and costs a lot of money. In the UK, it can cost £7 million each year. Everyone should be careful with their gum. We need to find better ways to help the environment.
Vocabulary List:
- Environment /ɪnˈvaɪrənmənt/ (noun): The natural world including the land water and atmosphere.
- Plastic /ˈplæstɪk/ (noun): A synthetic material made from a wide range of organic polymers.
- Chemicals /ˈkɛmɪkəlz/ (noun): Substances used in or produced by chemical processes.
- Produce /prəˈduːs/ (verb): To create or manufacture something.
- Cost /kɔːst/ (noun): The amount of money required to purchase or do something.
- Break down /breɪk daʊn/ (verb): To decompose or disintegrate into smaller parts.
How much do you know?
