In Quebec’s garbage cans today, there are twice as many textiles as there were ten years ago. As the production of one metric ton of textiles generates five times more CO₂ than the production of one metric ton of plastic, collecting clothing for reuse is an important step in the fight against climate change.

Although EDQ’s primary mission is to support the cause of the non-profit organization Diabète Québec, it has carved out an enviable place for itself, over the years, for collecting and repurposing second-hand items.

Did you know that the collection ecosystem developed by EDQ can be an excellent asset to your municipality’s environmental platform? In this article, we invite you to discover how EDQ’s new collection program can help your municipality build a greener future.

Serving the community since 1994

Since it was founded in 1994, Entraide Diabétique du Québec (EDQ) has sought to contribute to the collective well-being of our society. Although this non-profit organization (NPO) collects used items and resells them to support Diabète Québec, its mission doesn’t stop there.

In fact, supporting the environmental cause has always been part of the organization’s values. That’s why today, EDQ offers its expertise to help municipalities implement sound management of the collection of clothing and small household items.

Chantal Desrosiers, Executive Director of Entraide diabétique du Québec, knows the ins and outs of managing used clothing. Her career has led her to supervise projects in marketing and export logistics—an expertise she puts to good use at EDQ.

A collection program created for municipalities

To contribute to this cause, EDQ has designed a collection program for municipalities, covering not only clothing, but also small household items as well. The program offers a simple, effective solution to a very real problem: the amount of still-usable goods that end up in Quebec’s landfills.

As part of its new collection program, EDQ is offering the province’s municipalities the opportunity to take charge of the management, collection and reuse of clothing and small household items in good condition.

Thanks to its vast experience in collecting second-hand goods, the organization has been able to set up a fully functional ecosystem on a municipal scale. Its objective: to offer solutions customized to the specific needs of each participating municipality.

An initiative adapted to today’s reality

The collection program offered to municipalities by EDQ is in line with such current concepts as the circular economy and the pooling of resources within a community.

Moreover, as population density continues to rise, it’s easy to imagine that, over the years, fewer and fewer single-family homes and an increasing number of multi-unit dwellings will be built. EDQ’s collection program is perfectly suited to this type of urban development.

In fact, the organization suggests that municipalities add a collection bin to their three-stream recycling-compost-garbage system. In this way, residents would only be a few steps away from being able to dispose of their second-hand items in good condition, thereby limiting the quantity of reusable goods that end up in the garbage.

Pourquoi collaborer avec EDQ en tant que municipalité?

By offering municipalities the opportunity to include this program in their environmental platform, EDQ wants to convey the message that every municipality has the power to bring about change. The organization aims to support municipalities with an offer that complements existing actions.

This collection program represents:

A customized offer and a turnkey solution

EDQ has decades of experience in the field, making it a reliable and independent organization. Its team takes charge of the management, collection and reuse of small household items and clothing in good condition. Municipalities just need to provide the necessary space!

Benefitting both the municipality and its residents

By setting up this program, EDQ offers residents an environmentally-friendly way to dispose of their unwanted clothing and small household items. In addition to serving the public, this collection system limits the amount of waste to be managed by the municipality’s garbage collection services.

A clear gesture demonstrating commitment

By including EDQ’s collection program in their platform, municipalities are demonstrating in concrete terms that they are committed to preserving the environment. Working with EDQ is an eco-responsible gesture to help both current and future generations.

How can you contribute to a greener future?

Are you responsible for your municipality’s environmental platform or would you like to encourage your leaders to take action?

We invite you to contact us at the Head Office, by phone or email. Together, we can determine the best way to include EDQ’s new collection program in your municipality’s environmental action plan.