A collection point for chewing gum developed by the company KeeNat.

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KeeNat

  • The company KeeNat has developed dedicated terminals for chewing gum on the model of those reserved for the butt.

  • Several terminals have been dispatched to the towns of Bassens, Lormont, Cenon and Floirac.

    Awareness-raising actions will be carried out in parallel.

  • The Gironde company will also open its own recycling workshop by summer to transform cigarette butts, chewing gum or even plastic masks.

“One thing is certain, we cannot miss it”, here is Arnaud's first reaction when he sees this little pink terminal attached to a pole in front of Cenon station.

" What is that ?

», Asks his friend Romain.

The two friends end up approaching one of the “free gum” installed very recently in the metropolis of Bordeaux. Collection terminals dedicated to chewing gum.

They are the work of KeeNat, a sociable utility company (Esus).

This is not unknown in the world of waste control.

In 2016, it launched another type of terminal that can be found everywhere in France today, the Ecomégot.

With a goal, to collect and especially recycle cigarette butts.

A real success.

"It was the former municipal team from the Bordeaux town hall that gave us the idea to go further, explains KeeNat associate general manager Sandrine Poilpré," why would it not work for other waste such as chewing? -gum which is a real scourge.

"

We wish a happy #JourneeDesDroitsDesFemmes to all women and particularly to EcoMégot employees: Marine, Laura, Sandrine, Axelle, Barbara and Audrey 🧡 pic.twitter.com/gIopk28F9U

- EcoMegot (@EcoMegot) March 8, 2021

An environmental scourge and a financial pit

An environmental scourge first of all with a rubber which "takes between three and ten years to deteriorate and even 25 years in the seas and oceans" specifies the young woman.

“Chewing gum also accounts for over 100,000 tonnes of plastic pollution in seas and oceans,” she adds.

But the scourge is also economic with town halls and communities which commit thousands of euros per year to fight against this pollution.

Between time and equipment, it would cost “four euros” per square meter to the municipality of Bordeaux according to Sandrine Poilpré: “It's colossal!

".

And the note can therefore go up very quickly.

The Gironde company, now located in Villenave d'Ornon, has distributed around twenty terminals in all four of the metropolitan areas: Floirac, Cenon, Lormont and Bassens.

“It looks like small posts which all have an explanatory sheet because we are in an experimentation phase and above all, we must enormously sensitize people.

They were put in front of tram stops, schools or other busy public places, ”explains the leader of KeeNat.

“Frankly, it's a very good idea” admits Arnaud, observing the small hole through which to throw his chewing gum:

“As much as we are aware of the issue of tobacco and therefore inevitably of the cigarette butt and its pollution, as much for chewing gum we swing it very quickly, sometimes by shooting it.

The only thing we think about is putting it in a piece of paper.

But where does the paper end?

Not often in a trash can, I tell you!

"

Soon a recycling workshop

The collection of terminals will be done every three weeks initially.

Again through a social and solidarity approach by calling on people looking for work or in reintegration.

Today, the Gironde company has around fifteen employees.

By June, she also hopes to be able to launch her recycling workshop in a 250 square meter building in the metropolis.

“This is the second step after collection.

We must succeed in recycling these cigarette butts, masks or chewing gum.

The first two can be transformed into plastic and this could also be the case for chewing gum, we are awaiting the latest analyzes.

But we already have several avenues such as making shoe soles or even using this plastic in sports equipment, ”underlines Sandrine Poilpré.

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  • Aquitaine

  • Planet

  • Bordeaux

  • Recycling

  • Cigarette

  • Chewing gum

  • Pollution

  • Collection

  • Environment