Eco-label for lumber moves forward

Aproposal to establish a grade stamp for eco-certified softwood lumber will be discussed at a July 16 public hearing in Kansas City, Mo. The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA), which is holding the forum at the Kansas City Marriott, hopes to solicit 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’s Website at www.dealer.org .