Fresh breath but stuck with foul streets?

While the Wrigley company plans to launch a tooth-cleaning gum (“Wrigley to launch Orbit ‘tooth-cleaning’ gum”, MW August 7) Westminster City Council is about to introduce a record &£32m cleansing contract to deal with the rising tide of rubbish on our streets.

The continuing expansion of the gum market causes huge problems when cleaning the streets. Chewing gum is difficult to remove from pavements and looks unsightly.

While I wouldn’t wish bad dental health on anyone, I would urge that chewing gum is not discarded to disfigure our streets but is always properly disposed of. There are two simple solutions: a tax on the manufacturers of environmentally unfriendly gum which destroys our streets; and the launch of biodegradable, tax-free, tooth-cleaning, gum.

Why should clean teeth and clean streets be incompatible?

Cllr Judith Warner

Cabinet Member for Street Environment

Westminster City Council

London SW1