Four firms to issue timber ecolabeling<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Four standard certification service companies won
\nthe right to issue ecolabeling for timber companies on Monday
\nfrom the Indonesian Ecolabeling Foundation (LEI).<\/p>\n
The four -- PT TUV International Indonesia (a German joint
\nventure company), PT SGS International Certification Services
\nIndonesia (Swiss joint venture), PT Superintending Company of
\nIndonesia or Sucofindo and PT Mutuagung Lestari -- were selected
\nfrom 10 applicants for the right to issue the labels.<\/p>\n
LEI executive director Dradjad Wibowo, who made the
\nannouncement, said certification was needed for Indonesian timber
\nproducts bound for Europe and United States as of 2002.<\/p>\n
"An ecolabeling certification will be given to timber
\ncompanies which have met the standards, including conducting
\nsustainable forest management," Dradjad said.<\/p>\n
LEI chairman Emil Salim outlined three criteria timber
\ncompanies have to meet to secure the certificates: sustainable
\nforest management, promote the economic and social life of people
\nliving around their concessions and maintain their productivity.<\/p>\n
LEI is working in cooperation with the Forest Stewardship
\nCouncil (FSC), an international organization which gives
\naccreditation to ecolabeling certification institutions around
\nthe world, in approving the ecolabeling companies.<\/p>\n
The accreditation for the four companies would be effective
\nuntil 2002, Emil said. "We are going to review it after that."<\/p>\n
Mutuagung Lestari, which has issued industrial standard
\ncertification, ISO-14000s, hoped to start issuing certificates as
\nsoon as possible, its president, Arifin Lambaga, said.<\/p>\n
Although an ecolabeling certificate would be valid for five
\nyears, it would be reevaluated every semester, Arifin said.<\/p>\n
A timber company, he added, would have to spend Rp 250 million
\n(US$30,000) for every 100 hectares of forest it managed in order
\nto obtain the ecolabel certificate.<\/p>\n
Sucofindo, meanwhile, said it would start issuing ecolabel
\ncertificates in October.<\/p>\n
President Didie B. Tedjosumirat said Sucofindo had already
\nprepared nine professional experts to audit timber companies
\nwhich had registered with the company. (02)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/four-firms-to-issue-timber-ecolabeling-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}