NATCHEZ &045; A citizen committee concerned with beautifying Natchez is taking its efforts in a slightly different direction.

The committee was working to organize an amnesty day on which Waste Management would pick up items such as waste tires, old appliances and the like.

Since then, however, they found there are already legal ways locals can dispose of such items, said Stephanie Hutchins, an organizer of the committee.

&uot;A lot of times, residents just don’t know that Waste Management will pick up these items, or that there’s somewhere they can take them,&uot; Hutchins said after the committee’s Monday meeting at City Hall.

For example, information from Waste Management shows that company will pick up appliances, paint cans, hot water heaters and several other types of items besides household garbage and yard debris.

Although Waste Management doesn’t pick up tires, citizens can take old tires to free convenience stations on Kingston and Foster Mound roads.

In addition, personnel at those stations will remove coolant from refrigerated appliances at the site &045; something most waste companies or sites won’t do.

The county sites will also accept limbs, leaves, rubbish and garbage, Hutchins said.

One item that cannot be taken by either Waste Management or the county convenience stations is car batteries, which must be returned to the vendors where they are purchased.

The committee is also:

4Looking into the possibility of placing cigarette receptacles throughout downtown.

4Working with the city’s Planning Department to identify properties where litter is a problem.

The owners of such sites will then be sent letters from the department asking them to clean up their act

or face citations.

4Compiling materials on the importance of beautification &045; and ways children can help the effort &045; for beautification education programs in local schools.

4Encouraging business owners to ask their customers and employees to deposit trash inside the business instead of outdoors.