The city of Lancaster's marketing arm, See Lancaster, invites the proud and able to join in its citywide cleanup efforts Monday through Saturday.

Residents are being encouraged to scour their homes this week, searching for trash acceptable for pickup by city workers between Monday and Thursday.

The idea is to tidy up all parts of the city, with each resident doing a small part, said Elaine Adkins, chairwoman of See Lancaster's beautification committee. There will even be bins strategically placed throughout the city for people to throw trash in.

"We're just asking for everyone to get out and clean," Adkins said. "Instead of doing spring cleaning we're doing fall cleaning."

The theme of the cleanup effort is Cleaning up the Red Rose.

The event will culminate with a downtown cleanup Saturday, which residents are invited to participate in. Adkins said many civic organizations will help on that day, and gloves and trash bags will be available.

Adkins said people will get to help make downtown sparkle, plus see just what beautification efforts are planned.

The See Lancaster committee plans to plant flowers and plants and have planters built for placement outside of businesses. It will also oversee the construction of a native garden at the corner of Main and Arch streets.

"We just encourage folks to come downtown," Adkins said. "We want people to come downtown and see what's there."

Organizers want to remind residents to make sure that the trash they place for pickup outside their residences is acceptable.
What's not acceptable, according to city ordinance includes:

- Large deceased animals

- Construction and demolition waste

- Waste or litter resulting from a vehicle accident or collision

- Industrial waste

- Special waste, such as S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control-identified hazardous waste

- White goods or large appliances

- Solid waste known to cause damage to city equipment

- Tires, automotive parts, oil undrained oil filters, vehicle batteries, paint solvents and chemicals

- Large limbs, stumps and railroad tires

City Administrator Steve Willis said the city is playing a supporting role in the work by providing trash cans and bags, just like it has with similar projects in the past.