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Environment & certification
Centrop Houtimport is a leading supplier to the timber and building materials trade as well as the wood processing industry, and thus indirectly to the Dutch construction sector. Centrop Houtimport plays a leading role in corporate social responsibility. With wood as its primary product, Centrop Houtimport strives to sell as many certified products as possible. We are your softwood expert.
The Environmental Policy of Centrop Houtimport
Centrop Houtimport is a leading supplier to the timber and building materials trade as well as the wood processing industry, and thus indirectly to the Dutch construction sector. Centrop Houtimport plays a leading role in corporate social responsibility. With wood as its primary product, Centrop Houtimport strives to sell as many certified products as possible. We adhere to strict guidelines regarding environmental policy. This is summarized in our Green Policy Program.
Centrop Houtimport:
Is a member of the Royal Association of Dutch Timber Enterprises (VVNH) and hereby endorses the code of conduct, which stipulates that VVNH members exclusively place timber on the market that complies with applicable laws and regulations (agreed upon both nationally and internationally).
Maintains a strict due diligence system for the procurement of woody products and will not do business with companies that do not meet the requirements of this system.
Commits to the objectives of the “Conscious with Wood” action plan, which states that by 2020, (at least) 100% of softwood, 65% of hardwood, and 90% of panel material will be demonstrably sustainably sourced.
Trades in and promotes the use of wood products from responsibly managed forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).
Is FSC® and PEFC certified. The organizations behind these labels, as well as all environmental movements supporting them, thereby accept Centrop Houtimport as a partner in the Chain of Custody from responsibly managed forest to end consumer.
Is certified according to the CO₂ Performance Ladder Level 3 and is thereby working in a targeted and active manner towards a further reduction of its own CO₂ emissions.
Guarantees environmentally friendly processing and distribution of wood and non-wood products. For instance, waste streams within the companies are separated as much as possible according to the 'cradle to cradle' principle, and the paint spraying installations, trucks, and internal transport equipment comply with the most current environmental and health requirements.
Is a reliable partner with a keen eye for quality, price, and the environment.
CO₂ in wood products
March 2023
On average, wood consists of only a very low percentage of nitrogen. Just like CO₂, this nitrogen is released again when the wood decomposes (through combustion or weathering, for example).
The chemical composition of wood (including softwood and hardwood) is on average as follows:
Carbon (C): 49-50%
Oxygen (O): 44-45%
Hydrogen (H): 6%
Nitrogen (N): 0.1-1%
Source: Science and Technology of Wood
Sustainably sourced wood is an exceptionally green and climate-friendly building product primarily because it stores relatively large amounts of CO₂.
Nitrogen storage may be limited, but because wood has a good strength-to-weight ratio, it can be stated that, compared to other heavier building products, usually much less energy needs to be added to produce, transport, and process the product.
As a result, nitrogen deposition at the construction site will be relatively limited with regard to wood.
PS: By the way, are you familiar with the CO₂ calculator from Centrum Hout?
Could we convert Centrop's current stock in m³ into CO₂ storage?
Calculate in 2 steps how much CO2 is sequestered in your wood products | Centrum Hout CO2 calculator ( opslagco2inhout.nl )
Certification
Centrop sells certified wood products as much as possible. This means that the products bear a generally accepted quality mark. In addition to quality, this mark stands for environmentally friendly production and guarantees origin from a demonstrably responsibly managed coniferous forest or rainforest. For each quality mark, independent auditors monitor compliance with the rules at all companies in the supply chain, from logging to the manufacturer of finished products, also known as the 'Chain of Custody'. In this way, it is guaranteed that the products meet the criteria of the responsible forest management quality marks. If FSC or PEFC appears on your invoice, you can be certain that certified material has been supplied.
FSC®
FSC, the Forest Stewardship Council, is an international organization that promotes responsible forest management. FSC is an independent, widely supported, and globally operating system that has established global standards for forest management and the Chain of Custody. Linked to this is a certification mark for recognizability.
The FSC aims to protect forests from destruction and irreparable damage. To this end, it was the first to establish internationally applicable principles and criteria for responsible forest management, thereby providing consumers with assurance regarding the origin of products from responsibly managed forests.
For FSC-certified articles, Centrop is certified under FSC Certificate Number: SGSCH-COC-030103 and SGSCH-CW-030103.
PEFC
PEFC, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, is a global organization dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management. PEFC provides a voluntary, independent international forest and timber certification system to guarantee end users wood products from responsibly managed forests. PEFC was initially established to protect the interests of small forest owners. The PEFC certification system originated in Europe. Partly due to this, it enjoys the widest coverage in Northern and Eastern Europe. FSC, on the other hand, is also strongly represented in the southern (tropical) regions.
For PEFC-certified articles, Centrop is certified under PEFC Certificate number: SGSCH-PEFC-COC-030072.
Supplier declaration (self-declaration) regarding the PEFC Due Diligence System (DDS).
SMHV
The Foundation for the Marking of Wooden Packaging (SMHV) is an independent foundation whose objective is to implement the Dutch wooden packaging marking program on behalf of the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority. This is done in accordance with the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM No. 15) so that wooden packaging meets the import requirements of other countries.
The global standard ISPM 15 lays down measures to guarantee that live pests do not spread via wooden packaging. ISPM 15 describes the treatment of wooden packaging so that any harmful organisms present are killed. Wood used for the manufacture of wooden packaging and dunnage must be treated and marked for international transport. With ISPM 15, purchasers and users of wooden packaging are guaranteed problem-free worldwide transport.
For the supply of treated products that meet the requirements of ISPM No. 15, Centrop is included in the central register of the Stichting Markering Houten Verpakkingen (Wooden Packaging Marking Foundation).
The registration number is 105.
CE
CE marking stems from European legislation: the Construction Products Directive. It is, as it were, a mandatory passport for construction products. The CE certificate is mandatory for all products that are permanently used in construction. Examples include floors and roofs, but also stairs, window and door frame fillings, etc.
DIP
Centrop Houtimport supports STIP because this certification gives companies the opportunity to demonstrate that they source exclusively sustainable wood. A STIP-certified company no longer needs to be FSC® and/or PEFC certified, but can simply purchase products bearing both labels. In doing so, it meets the national government's sustainability requirements. There is no longer a need to choose between FSC or PEFC. Within a STIP-certified company, wood from both labels may be stored and used interchangeably.
All our softwood is certified, so Centrop can ensure that, when you indicate that your company is STIP-certified, it receives exclusively FSC and PEFC certified items. If desired, we can also send you an annual overview of purchased materials.
