Industry News

Eco-label for lumber moves forward

(Jul. 14) A proposal to establish a grade stamp for eco-certified softwood lumber was discussed at a July 16 public hearing in Kansas City, Mo. The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA), which held the forum at the Kansas City Marriott, solicited input from industry stakeholders in order to measure support for a certification system that would be similar to the grade stamps now administered by the American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC) and the Department of Commerce.

The LBM Institute, the educational and research arm of NLBMDA, is also gathering comments via an online survey. At a later date, this information will be presented to the ALSC, which will determine whether an eco-labeling program can be implemented as a grade stamp attribute based on a common set of eco-forest management standards. Such a system would eliminate costly chain-of-custody requirements at the dealer level, according to proponents.

For more information about the July 16 hearing, or to participate in the survey, visit the NLBMDA%u2019s Website at www.dealer.org .

Economy Lumber FSC & SFI Certified 

Economy Lumber recently completed a successful audit for both  FSC and SFI chain of custody certificates.  Both the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) certify forests that are sustainably harvested using environmentally sound practices.  While California, Oregon, Washington, and Canada have among the most stringent forest practices in the world, these organizations seek to further consumer confidence in those practices.