March 2026 Letter from the Executive Director
This month, my update letter is brought to you by the letter T.
T – Textiles, Tours, and Thanks
Textiles
With just two weeks until Explore Circularity Day 2026, our focus has been on textiles — and on the clear value this conversation brings to our members. On March 18 and 19 in Calgary, the Recycling Council of Alberta will convene stakeholders from across the textile value chain. Together, we will identify what is working, where challenges remain, and how Alberta can move forward with coordinated, confident action.
March 18 is Discover Circular Textiles — a community day with tours, an open house, and a film viewing. March 19 is Explore Circularity Day at the Calgary Zoo — where strategy meets implementation, and where our members help shape the next phase of Alberta’s circular economy. We appreciate the support of all our sponsors and our amazing line up of speakers for the events.
Textile waste is one of the fastest-growing material streams globally, but it also represents real opportunity for Alberta. For municipalities advancing waste reduction goals and circular roadmaps, textiles offer practical diversion pathways and meaningful community engagement. For regulators and policymakers, this is a timely space to align policy, EPR evolution, and market development. For service providers — collectors, haulers, processors, and innovators — emerging textile streams signal new infrastructure needs and service opportunities.
If you have not yet registered, I encourage you to join us. These discussions will help inform the next phase of textile circularity efforts in Alberta, and your voice is an important part of that conversation.
Learn more and register here:
https://recycle.ab.ca/workshop/explore-circularity-day-2026/
Tours
Alongside event preparations, we continue connecting with members to see circularity in action.
A recent visit to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore highlighted how reuse extends the life of building materials and household white goods while strengthening local communities. The scale of diversion achieved through everyday donations from builders, developers, and contractors and resale shows how accessible circular solutions can be when infrastructure and participation align.
At Renue Recycling in Calgary, we saw another dimension of circular innovation — transforming leftover latex paint into valuable new paint products, as a feedstock in cement manufacturing to be reused which minimizes landfill disposal. Their commitment to quality paint production, container recycling, and finding end markets reflects how environmental stewardship and economic opportunity can advance together.
Explore Circularity Day and our member visits are consistently energizing. They remind us that Alberta’s circular economy is taking shape through the leadership, collaboration, and innovation of our members.
Thanks
I would also like to take a moment to thank Cathy Heron for her dedicated service as Secretary of the Recycling Council of Alberta. Cathy has recently stepped down from this role, and we are grateful for her time, thoughtful guidance, and steady leadership during her tenure. Her contributions have helped strengthen the governance and direction of our organization, and we sincerely appreciate the commitment she has brought to the RCA’s work.
I look forward to connecting with many of you soon and continuing to spotlight the circular solutions emerging across our network.
Jennifer Koole
Executive Director
Recycling Council of Alberta
