Cladding materials may suffer due to heating installations

29/06/2010 11:15:41

As the UK attempts to produce its power through more energy-efficient means, areas such as cladding materials may suffer.

The Wood Panel Industries Federation warns that subsidies for wood-fired power plants - considered advantageous as they use a renewable fuel - are making the price of wood rise.

As a result, its members - whose products may be used as cladding materials or in furniture - are facing higher prices for their raw materials.

In order to overcome this, the organisation is suggesting a set of simple rules that could help to control which wood is sent to power stations to be burned and which may be used for construction and manufacturing.

Recommendations include ensuring that trees in the UK are allowed to live for as long as possible before being felled, as well as recycling wood that may still be used for manufacturing.

Only exhausted wood that is no longer suitable for manufacturing should be burned as fuel, the federation suggests.

The Make Wood Work manifesto published to promote the campaign aims to highlight the issues involved as part of a "convincing case" for fairer treatment of the wood panels industry.

Posted by Rachel King ADNFCR-1903-ID-19862457-ADNFCR