The certification body plans to add a wood and paper science testing programme by the end of 2012 to augment other quality assurance measures currently in the FSC certification system.
FSC said the move showed the role certification systems could play in helping to crack down on the trade in illegally-sourced wood, alongside legislative changes such as the EU Timber Regulation and the Lacey Act in the US.
The move follows piloting of the new testing this year, which has seen FSC purchase FSC-certified timber and paper products from retailers in Europe and North America.
The products have been tested in laboratories to determine their composition and species.
“Early results from testing paper and panel products has shown that testing can provide strong supporting evidence around claims being made on FSC products,” it said.
“FSC is confident that by using the latest wood and fibre science it can improve quality assurance at an affordable cost.”
In addition to adding a wood and paper scientific testing programme, FSC is to develop and implement a long-term strategy to understand how wood and fibre science might be incorporated into the FSC chain of custody standards to increase quality assurance, increase system efficiencies and reduce certification costs.
