Now, non-stick chewing gum to keep streets clean

LONDON - A non-stick chewing gum that dissolves within 24 hours has been formulated by British scientists, a media report said Tuesday.

Rev7, which went on sale Monday, has the same taste and texture as normal gum, but is water soluble, Daily Mail reported on its website.

It can be removed easily from clothes using soap and water and tests show it can largely be cleared up by conventional street cleaning.

Any gum washed into the drains will break down into minerals and biodegradable materials.

The development could help cut the 150-million pound (about $237 million) annual chemicals bill to remove the sticky substance from the nations streets.

Professor Terry Cosgrove, who led the research at Bristol University, said the gum contained a special polymer which made it far less sticky.

“The motivation to invent the product came from seeing chewing gum on the streets in this country and in America. Its everywhere,” he said.

“The materials developed can be used for lots of other uses such as anti-graffiti paint and bacterial protection.

“But because chewing gum is such an enormous problem at the moment we decided to target this as our main area.

“This is like a dream come true for me, seeing academic research result in a real commercial product.

“There are also several other exciting ventures in the pipeline.”

Revolymer, a company set up by Bristol University, used a 10-million pound grant from investors to launch the product, which has now gone on sale in the US.

Available in spearmint and peppermint flavours, it should go on sale here in 2011.

Normal chewing gum is made from synthetic latex, which is resistant to the weather and strongly adhesive.