A new report from the environmental group Greenpeace shows how the UK construction industry can have a positive influence on the management practices in forests around the world. The report, entitled "Setting a new standard: alternatives to unsustainable plywood in the UK construction industry" is a practical guide for companies wanting to avoiding the use of illegal plywood on construction sites. It not only provides a step-by-step guide to ensure companies get it right on timber (1) but also promotes the use of environmentally and socially responsible material such as that certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). (2)

Greenpeace has released the report because despite the best efforts of some UK construction companies, the vast majority of the sector continues to use illegal and unsustainable timber. In recent years, Greenpeace investigations have in the uncovered the use of plywood, often manufactured in China, illegally logged in the rainforests of Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Brazil on sites across the UK. These include at two refurbishments at the government's Cabinet Offices in Whitehall, at the construction site of the Home Office and at the British Museum.

Reacting to the report, Greenpeace Forest Campaigner Mariana Paoli said: "Tropical  forests  are being destroyed to make way for  throw-away products like plywood. It's time for architects, specifiers and construction companies to clean up their act and we hope this report will provide the motivation for them to take action on this issue."

The UK is Europe's largest user of plywood, and is the third largest importer of illegal timber in the world (3). Despite this, the report shows that there is no technical reason why unsustainable tropical hardwood plywood cannot be replaced with alternatives such as FSC Oriented Strand Board (OSB), which is  locally sourced, competitively priced, and are already readily available on the UK market.

Endorsing the report, Peter Ainsworth, Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment said, "No organisation has done more than Greenpeace to draw attention to the perilous state of the world's ancient forests. There is now a need for urgent action to save what remains, for the sake of the forests themselves and their unique wildlife, and for the benefits they bring to our climate. While governments dither and bicker, this excellent report shows in a clear and compelling way, that there is action that responsible businesses and all of us can take to help."

Greenpeace is pushing the UK government and the European Union to adopt legislation which would make it illegal for companies to buy timber products not coming from legal and well managed forests.

Endorsing the report, Paul Toyne, Head of Sustainability at industry leaders Bovis Lend Lease UK said, "This report promotes FSC which is a great tool for the construction industry   to remove illegal plywood from the supply chain and replace it with sustainable plywood.  As a company actually doing this we endorse Greenpeace's recommendations and would encourage all construction companies to follow suit."

Notes to Editors:

(1) The report can be viewed online. It contains a simple checklist for sourcing environmentally and socially responsible timber:

• Specify environmentally and socially responsible materials. Write a tight specification making it clear to your contractors and sub-contractors that you want FSC certified OSB and plywood.
• Explain the requirements of the specification to your contractor. Do this early enough to allow the contractor enough time to research, source and buy FSC certified materials.
• Make sure contractor understands what paper work they need to provide at the end of the project. Ask for delivery notes and invoices stating that material are FSC certified and carry the supplier's chain of custody number.
• Monitor compliance with the specification. This means checking all delivery notes and invoices of materials arriving on site.
• Keep the paper work. This allows you to prove that specifications were met.
• Consider getting your own FSC certification allowing you to advertise your use of FSC materials.

(2) The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) scheme is the most credible forest certification system available to ensure that timber products come from environmental and social responsibly managed forests. It is also the only system supported by major environmental groups including Greenpeace and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) as well as progressive timber companies and many indigenous people's organisations.

(3) In 2007, the Would Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) estimated that the UK was the third largest importer of illegal timber in the world, spending around £712 million a year on illegal wood.

The demand for timber from the international marketplace, including the UK, is a key driver in this destruction. This timber can be used for high value products like flooring or end up as ‘throwaway' products like plywood. In recent years, Greenpeace has repeatedly exposed the use of illegal and unsustainable plywood from the threatened rainforests of the Brazilian Amazon, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea being used as hoardings around UK construction sites.

This guide sets out why companies must respond to this issue as a matter of urgency. It shows how to avoid unsustainable plywood and also provides a step-by-step guide to obtaining socially and environmentally responsible timber, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Buying FSC certified timber is the best way to ensure your timber comes from responsible sources.