Congratulations to Douglas County officials for moving forward on plans to provide increased recycling opportunities for rural residents.

Lawrence, Baldwin City and Eudora all have curbside recycling service. After the curbside service was initiated in Lawrence, it no longer made sense to maintain the drop-off recycling center at Wal-Mart on South Iowa Street. Without that center, rural residents had to bring their recyclables to bins at various parking-lot locations in Lawrence or simply throw them in the trash.

This week, however, the Douglas County Commission approved a pilot program to set up drop-off recycling bins at several rural locations. Eileen Horn, the county’s sustainability coordinator, said Thursday that plans for the recycling locations still are evolving and advised county residents to consult the county’s sustainability website for the latest information.

As originally planned, the city is moving forward on recycling sites at Stull United Methodist Church and Wakarusa Valley School. After hearing from residents in the southern part of the county, officials decided to move one recycling site from the Douglas County Public Works Facility on East 25th Street to the Vinland Fairgrounds. County officials also have heard from residents of Grant Township north of Lawrence and may consider adding another recycling site in that area, Horn said.

The program will take the same recyclables as are accepted in Lawrence and materials don’t have to be sorted.

The county plans to operate the recycling program for six months as a pilot then take a look at how much the service is being used and any problems that arise. The interest already being expressed in the location of drop-off sites appears to confirm the desire of county residents to make use of this additional service. It is to the county’s credit that it is trying to respond to that demand. Hopefully, the pilot will run smoothly and provide a popular and useful new service for rural county residents.