Fingerprints for Timber

With sophisticated labeling, the origin of timber can now be traced—virtual fingerprints against illegal logging.

November 30, 2004

BUYING timber will soon be like shopping for soap, cooking oil, detergents or toothpaste at a hypermarket. This is thanks to product labels or bar codes. Unlike merchandise labels, which show prices, expiry dates and manufacturers, wood labels describe its identities. The codes are virtual fingerprints containing the origin of timber, its cutting block, the safety standards of equipment used and the fulfillment of transport system requirement

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