Sanctioned Wood from Russia Still Illegally Entering Britain

Sustainable timber supplies and certification schemes are in danger

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Nearly half of the birch wood certified by leading sustainability schemes may be misidentified, and therefore may not come from the country of origin indicated on the label. As reported by the , there is strong evidence suggesting that large quantities of sanctioned wood from Russia and Belarus are still entering Britain illegally. New analysis by , a consortium of research organizations that includes Kew Gardens and the World Resources Institute, examined the accuracy of dozens of harvesting-origin claims on birch products. These claims had almost entirely been approved (88%) by the (FSC) and (PEFC) sustainability schemes.

Despite the proven credibility of these organizations and schemes, the research revealed alarming results.

Samples of birch, a popular hardwood used in furniture, kitchen cabinets, and musical instruments, were labeled as originating from Ukraine, Poland, and the Baltic states: Estonia and Latvia. However, tests using the wood’s “chemical fingerprint” revealed that 46% of the certified samples did not originate from the stated location on the labels.