US hardwood eco profiles set to launch
2 November 2013Within months, US hardwoods will become the first timber type, or even the first commercial manufacturing or construction material, with the potential to have a comprehensive environmental profile with each consignment.
This was one of several breakthrough market developments announced at the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) European Convention in Budapest last week.
AHEC executive director Mike Snow told the 120-strong audience of American hardwood suppliers and their European customers at the two-day event that the American Hardwood Environmental Profile (AHEP) project was a month from roll out.
"The first documents could be accompanying timber by the end of the year," he said.
The AHEP, he explained, builds on a range AHEC projects to verify and validate the environmental credentials of American hardwoods, bringing them together into a single practical business tool.
These include the Seneca Creek illegality risk assessment study of the US hardwood resource - due to be updated next year - and the continuing AHEC/PE International life cycle assessment project.
"It also uses the FSC Risk Register for timber sourcing and follows the guidance document for the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), providing all the information required to meet its illegality risk assessment requirements," said Mr Snow.
In addition, the AHEP project uses a software system to assess and graphically present the environmental impacts of each timber shipment, from carbon footprint, to potential for eutrophication - the leaching of fertilisers into aquatic systems.
"Suppliers key in variables - species, volume, origin and thickness - and the system autofills the data in tabular form," said Mr Snow.
The resulting information can also be used by manufacturers to create EU Environmental Product Declarations.
The AHEP, maintained Mr Snow, would be a valuable marketing tool worldwide and also highlight that it is "time for other materials to stand up and provide similar information".
Finding new markets and uses for American hardwoods is vital, said speakers, because the combination of migration of US manufacturing and recession means the resource is now under-utilised. In fact, it could sustainably support a harvest four times current levels.
