EUTR Timber Regulations

One area of high analysis activity is the identification of wood species in support of the EUTR Timber Regulations (European Union Timber Regulations).

This regulation requires the retailer to either know the origins and type of wood used in the manufacture of each type of paper or have in place a due diligence process for checking the composition of paper products. For some books, construction can involve the use of many different types/grades of paper.

At Test-Tech Amersham, we have the ability to quantify the furnish content (Hardwood/Softwood/Annual/Synthetic fibre content – mechanical/chemical fibre content) and identify wood species used in the papers manufacture.

The furnish quantification of mechanical fibre is used by customers to confirm that papers being marketed and sold adhere to retail guidelines of “wood containing” or “wood free”.

Wood species analysis is an active work area with samples being supplied by many leading high street retailers and publishing houses.

Our database contains technical details of several hundred worldwide commercial wood species and a wide range of annual and synthetic fibres. This includes technical information on restricted woods (As defined by CITES appendix 1 and IUCN Red List). With this technical information and working knowledge in the paper industry, we can advise the customer the potential origins of most woods found in papers manufactured worldwide.

This analysis is further used by customers to reinforce their environmental credentials.

If you would like to know more about furnish and wood species analysis, please contact us.