Chewing Gum, one of the oldest known candies, has a many attributes - It helps concentration, reduces stress and if sugar-free, is good for your teeth. Best of all, it tastes really good. However, if not disposed off properly after chewing, it is a big nuisance because of its stickiness!

It is estimated that over 600,000 metric tons of gum is manufactured each year and a large portion of it ends up polluting the streets. While a piece of gum costs less than 10cts, removing a chewed piece stuck on a pavement costs between $2-$3 U.S. Dollars!

The problem is so big that some countries like Singapore have banned chewing gum, while others have been mulling about imposing fines for careless disposal.

Now a British Company known as Revolmyer has come up with a solution - a water soluble "Clean Gum", expected to be available for sale by next year. Clean Gum replaces the sticky synthetic latex that is the base of most current gums with a new polymer, which can be easily washed off. 

The new gum not only tastes good but also dissolves very easily in rainwater or during street cleaning. If all goes as planned, three flavors will be released next year - mint, fruit and lemon. We are sure City Officials all over the world will be happy to get rid of this "sticky" problem!

Sources:Technology Review, Recycle Media, Telegraph.Com