The Timber Trade Federation (TTF) has tightened up its advice on controversial palm core plywood by asking members not to refer to the product as “plywood” but as “palm composite board”.
The decision to issue more stringent advice, taken at the TTF’s recent National Panel Products Division (NPPD) meeting, follows mounting concern over the product’s lack of testing for structural use and fears of a potential failure if used in such applications.
Earlier advice issued by the NPPD advised plywood trader members to specify if their products contained a coconut or oil palm core.
The NPPD said “palm composite board” should be clearly marked on all packaging of palm-core products, until such time the panels can demonstrate they meet the European Standards for the definition of plywood.
“Furthermore any documentation and packing should make no reference to the term plywood,” the NPPD said.
TTF head of technical and trade affairs Nick Boulton said the decision to advise members to drop the term “plywood” in reference to palm core products was designed to protect the industry.
The NPPD also said the products should not be used in construction (structural or non-structural) until they could demonstrate testing evidence that they were fit for purpose.
