Gum-chewers are to be targeted in a nationwide campaign aimed at reducing chewing gum litter.
The Gum Litter Taskforce campaign will involve an advertising campaign to ask people to bin their gum rather than throw it on the street. Organisers say the "carrot-and-stick" approach will also remind gum-chewers of the litter fines they face.
Fifteen local authorities are taking part in the first phase of the scheme, and some 1,200 shops throughout the country have signed up to support it.
Irish Rail and Dublin Bus will also display the advertisements with the slogan: "Thanks for binning your gum when you're done."
The campaign will run for a year starting this month and is modelled on three successful pilot programmes in Dublin, Cork and Bray town last year.
The Gum Litter Taskforce was established last year as a joint initiative between the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the gum industry, represented by the Food and Drink Industry Ireland, a business sector of Ibec.
Speaking in Galway as he opened the campaign, Gum Litter Taskforce chairman Paul Kelly said he looked forward to the nationwide campaign making a "lasting and positive difference to our streets and environment generally".
The 15 local authority areas participating in first phase are the city councils of Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Waterford; the county councils of Cavan, Fingal, Louth, north Tipperary, south Dublin, south Tipperary, Roscommon and Westmeath; and the town councils of Fermoy and Westport.