Diabetes Canada Is also a member or partnered with the following organizations: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (Partners in Project Green), Ontario Waste Management Association, Municipal Waste Association; National Zero Waste Council, the Recycling Council of B.C, Coast Waste Management Association, Recycling Council of Alberta, Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council and the Manitoba Association of Regional Recyclers. 

1.2 York University, Faculty of Environmental Studies - Waste Wiki 

The Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University was founded in 1968 at a time of rising curiosity and concern about the environment. It was the first of its kind in North America and remains the largest program in Canada. 

The "Waste Wiki" is a university-run/operated research project that attempts to bridge the gap between academia, industry and government in issues surrounding waste. The Waste Wiki is Canada's largest research study dedicated to waste in a North American context and is home to more than 6000+ studies on waste and provides users with the ability to interface with data so that they can make more informed decisions. 

1.3 Research Team 

Dr. Calvin Lakhan, Ph.D.

Calvin is currently the co-investigator of the "Waste Wiki" project at York University (with Dr. Mark Winfield), a research project devoted to advancing the understanding of waste management research and policy in Canada. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Waterloo/Wilfrid Laurier University joint Geography program, and degrees in economics (BA) and environmental economics (MEs) from York University. 

Simon Langer

Simon Is the National Manager of Government and Strategic Partnerships at Diabetes Canada. He is also a researcher at the Waste Wikki Project at York University where he is researching the role of collaborative governance models and social innovation in advancing material sustainability. Simon and Dr. Calvin Lakhan organized Canada's first national textile diversion study and piloting program. 

2.0 Purpose 

2.1 Textile Diversion in Windsor-Essex 

Given the enormous social, economic, and environmental benefits that textile recovery has the potential to create; Diabetes Canada and York University formally requests that the City of Windsor considers participating in our National Municipal Textile Diversion Pilot and Research Program. This collaborative effort would give us the opportunity to divert a larger percentage of the approximately 7.8 million kilograms of textiles that are currently going to the landfill from Windsor-Essex. 

This pilot program would include educating the public about the reuse and recyclability of the various textiles they dispose of and make textile diversion opportunities as convenient and accessible as possible for the public.