A boost of flavour and a calming influence on nerves, chewing gum is one of those items strategically placed at supermarket cashier counters that many of us cannot do without. But once chewed to perfection, most gums end up on the streets – and often under the shoes of innocent passersby – or form a colourful mosaic on the undersides of desks and public benches. The expensive removal of the chewy substance has led the state of Singapore, for example, to ban the import of all chewing gums.

The disposal of one pack of gum alone, representatives of a new degradable and removable alternative assert, has the same environmental impact as one plastic bag – and in the US alone, the gum removal business is tantamount to the pollution of about 20 bn plastic bags each year. Maybe a lobby should look into this sticky business...