The City of Picayune might expect to see less trash on roadsides in the upcoming year. Public Works Director Eric Morris said plans to help keep the roads cleaner are in motion.

Beginning Monday, Jan. 5, 2015, Picayune will implement a new program to take scrap metal items and old tires off the streets. Morris said the program was implemented after the city realized there were large amounts of metal items and tires being left in places like dead-end roads and cul-de-sac’s.

“Our goal is to clean up the city and provide services to help us do that,” Morris said.

Currently, there’s a yard debris program in place, where residents can call the city to have the debris picked up. But Morris said there’s never been a structured service to pick up tires and metal items, until now.

Local residents will have two options in order to get rid of the scrap. They will be able to drop-off the items into black bins situated at 101 Witthauer Lane located at the intersection of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Witthauer Lane.

The second option is curbside pick-up, which will be offered on Thursday’s from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Local residents can call “311” or 601-799-0602 in order set a date to have the items picked up.

Morris said while he’s optimistic about the program, he expects obstacles in the beginning.

“There will be some growing pains I’m sure. The first hurdle will be making people aware that we’re doing this. The next hurdle will be getting people to call and make that effort to do something instead of dropping it off at the side of the road,” Morris said.

The Public Works Department will be able to collect the following scrap items; scrap metal, including iron, steel, aluminum, copper, brass, metal furniture and white goods, old motors, metal roofing, pipe, wire, and other metals.

Appliances, such as refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners, must be free of all refrigerant, oils, etc.

Scrap tires must be removed from the metal rims so they can be recycled.

Items that will not be accepted as part of this program include:

• Radioactive materials.
• Lead-acid batteries, such as car batteries.
• Liquids, including water, oil, paint, fuel and chemicals
• Fluorescent lighting fixtures and ballasts, fire extinguishers, propane tanks, refrigerant tanks or other such pressurized or non-pressurized vessels unless emptied and cut with a hole or if the valves have been removed allowing the internal chamber to be visually inspected.

Morris added that the city is expected to introduce other new projects in the upcoming year, but most are still in the planning stages.