Chewing gum is plastic pollution, not a litter problem
Thousands of tons of plastic pollution could be escaping into the environment every year … from our mouths. Most chewing gum on sale is made from a variety of oil-based synthetic rubbers—similar to the plastic material used in car tires.
https://phys.org/news/2025-03-gum-plastic-pollution-litter-problem.htmlOpen linkView original on lemmy.world
8 replies
Had no idea that "gum base" was plastic. Thanks shitty FDA for allowing me to poison myself all these years.
I could live with losing flavor, but having that crumbly, sticky... whatever in my mouth, just... nah...
I tried one of those alternatives once. It was like chewing on gristle. The flavor went away within seconds. I'd rather eat glue. Hopefully they'll improve, but I'm not optimistic.
OK so a trivial and insignificant amount.
I already knew that people who spit gum out onto the ground are monsters.
Tear down the incredibly toxic Seattle Gum Wall now!!!
lol. This was also my first thought.
Well, that puts a new spin on Willy Wonka.