NATCHEZ — Members of the Green Alliance met Tuesday to identify needs and form a plan for what needs to be done to start a recycling program in Natchez-Adams County.

Some of the needs the group identified included:

4Finding a site location for recycling drop-off in the area.

4Finding out if local metal recyclers will accept cans.

4Finding out site and transportation specifications for a recycling drop-off point.

4Developing a program to educate the community about recycling.

4Identifying what kind of recycling program should be started. Discussion centered around the possibility of cardboard recycling.

The group also decided to approach the city and county governments about the possibility of jointly applying for a Solid Waste Assistance Grant from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Green Alliance member Steve McNerney said the City of Natchez has unreceived SWAG grant money from this year, and the county has not used SWAG money this year.

“This SWAG grant can be used for everything but for collection fees of more than 3 percent of (program) administrative costs,” he said.

When Natchez City Engineer David Gardner asked if the SWAG grant could be used to buy the equipment needed to crush and bale material to be recycled, McNerney said it could.

“I think we could present it to the city and the county to see if they would allow us to go forward with the grant and partner with us and do it,” Gardner said.

The group has also looked at the costs of starting a curbside versus a drop-off recycling program, and Gardner said the best option for the time being would be drop-off.

“For a community like Natchez that doesn’t have a history of recycling, (curbside recycling) would be the ultimate achievement,” Gardner said. “Is it affordable? I don’t think so.”

“In order to put this extra cost in there, the city would have to absorb the cost, or go up on the rates, or a little of both. I don’t think this is the time to be going up on rates.”

The alliance decided to meet again in early April to discuss what needs to be done next.