SHALDON Wildlife Trust is leading the way by being the first zoo in the country to install chewing gum recycling bins. The cute bear-shaped bins can be spotted in the Trust's woodland gardens and are there not only to protect the Trusts animals but also to tackle one of the fastest growing environmental problems of the past decade
Discarded chewing gum can cause a variety of problems with the Trust's animals including matted fur, dietary upsets and choking. Visitors to the Trust are being encouraged to use the new bins to protect not only the animals but themselves and the local environment.
Neil Vaughan who volunteers as the Trust's Education officer was approached by the gummy bin company to promote the environmental awareness of this sticky problem alongside his educational talks in schools on behalf of the Trust.
He was so impressed with the concept of recycling gum that he obtained some bins to place in the Trust grounds.
The recycled gum can be used for a number of different types of construction and the recycled material has been offered to the London 2012 Olympic Games committee to be used in their venues.