Shielding the sticky streets
December 1st 2008 A new protective coating from Si Laboratories tackles the problem of chewing gum by
preventing it from sticking in the first place, protecting pavement from any damage
Unsightly chewing gum deposits pepper
the UK's pavements and some
conventional methods of removal can be
damaging, disruptive and labour intensive.A
new solution to the problem is now available
with the launch of Gum Shield – a protective
coating from Si Laboratories that keeps
walkways gum-free and saves thousands of
pounds a year in reduced cleaning bills, claims
the company.
To soften and then dissolve or break up the
gum, the most common methods of gum
removal use water or steam, sometimes with
chemical agents.
These techniques require large amounts of
energy with high pressure that can damage
grouting between paving stones, and high
temperatures that can damage surface material
such as tarmac. Permanent, non-slip and
invisible,Gum Shield avoids the need for these practices by
preventing any gum contamination and adherence to a surface,
allowing it to dry out and simply be brushed away using normal
street cleaning equipment.
"Traditional means of gum removal are expensive,
environmentally harmful and impractical with access
needed for bulky equipment which is noisy and
disruptive to pedestrians," says Keith MacGregor,
director at Si Laboratories."Gum Shield provides an
innovative yet beautifully simple solution by
preventing gum adhesion in the first place – treated
surfaces retain their newly-laid look with permanent
long term protection. It's non-toxic, solvent-free,
odourless and safe to the environment.
"A single application not only saves time and labour,
but also saves huge amounts of money – compared to
the cost of conventional cleaning practices, applying
Gum Shield within a 1,000m2 area of a city centre
conurbation will save £1,400 over in the first year of
use and £10,000 over a three-year period."
Gum Shield can be quickly and easily applied to a
range of walkway surfaces, including auto-block
paving stones, sandstone, bricks and tarmac.The
coating is also highly effective in repelling other grime, including
fungi, algae, lichens, grease, oil, fat stains and tyre marks.The removal
of bird and dog fouling is also
easier. More articles from S.I. Laboratories Ltd: | 
