Last week we looked at a risk inherent in the US supply chain—gatewood and the extended time frames it might take for illegal logging to even be discovered. It’s a big question and I don’t think anyone has come up with a good answer yet. It is something that you will just have to factor into any risk assessment for US material. This week, I have just a quick reference to a source to help with some international risk assessment.
The EUTR (European Union Timber Regulation) is similar to Lacey, but there are some fundamental differences in the system—actually, I’d even say the differences are becoming more pronounced over time in terms of how the systems are applied/enforced in practice. But the basis by which a business can respond to both is by conducting a form of risk assessment. So American buyers who wish to evaluate their international supply chain can certainly make use of EUTR resources.
One new set of resources was released earlier this year. These are the first five country overviews: Brazil, China, Myanmar, Russian Federation and Ukraine. The goal of these short reports are to help buyers identify and assess the risk of sourcing from these regions.
There are many other EUTR and Australian resources out there and I’d encourage US buyers to seek them out to help in their evaluations of different countries. The more information and ideas you can get, the better. Not every idea or source will apply to your specific business, but there are hidden gems everywhere. Happy hunting!
And of course, as well as happy hunting for information, let me wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! I’m going to take next week off while I do some shopping over the weekend. I need a new computer…got to upgrade to keep typing!
Elizabeth Baldwin is Environmental Compliance Officer for Metropolitan Hardwood Floors. In her 25 plus year career in the wood industry has visited over 70 countries and hundreds of facilities of all sizes and types. She describes herself as a “jack of all wood trades.” Familiar with jungles of all sorts–having camped out along the Amazon and walked the halls of Congress–she blogs for the NWFA on both environmental and regulatory issues for educational and informational purposes only. Her blog is not intended and should not be construed as legal advice. Persons seeking legal advice on compliance with CARB, TSCA, the U.S. Lacey Act or any other law, regulation, or compliance requirement/claim should consult with the regulatory agency directly and/or a qualified legal professional.