NATCHEZ — Recycling efforts in the region will expand as Natchez helps make it more accessible for downtown pedestrians and other governments to begin incorporating recycling into their waste disposal plans.

The Natchez Board of Aldermen accepted bids Tuesday for 35- and 95-gallon recycling containers, metal receptacles to be placed downtown and two waste compactors and compactor containers.

The total cost of all of the bids comes to approximately $100,000, all of which is covered by a regional recycling grant the City of Natchez is administering for itself, the City of Brookhaven and Wilkinson County, Community Development Director James Johnston said.

The grant comes with no requirement for local dollars, he said.

Johnston said Natchez will receive 45 metal receptacles, which will be placed downtown along Main and Franklin streets and the cross streets between them, and along the bluff.

“They will be placed primarily on the corners for pedestrians,” Johnston said.

Natchez will receive one of the compactors and containers, which will be placed on the Wall Street side of the convention center. The second compactor will be placed at the Wilkinson County transfer station.

The 95-gallon containers will be placed at Natchez City Hall, at the Natchez Transit Facility, the Natchez Visitor Center, the Natchez Senior Center, the National Park Service locations, Copiah-Lincoln Community College and Alcorn State University’s Natchez campus, the Hardy-Anders Field Airport, the Natchez-Adams County Port and the county’s public schools and libraries.

Wilkinson County will receive 20 of the 95-gallon containers, which will be placed in its public schools, county departments and local department of human services.

Brookhaven will receive all 900 of the 35-gallon plastic containers, which will be distributed to residential homes in the program. It will also receive 57 of the metal receptacles.

Johnston said the grant is also being used to fund education and outreach, and the city is looking for an October  kickoff for the expansion.

Green Alliance Chairwoman Lindsey Shelton said the goal of the grant from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality is to expand the recycling programs in the area.