Human Health and Consumer Protection

Consumer-related products have to meet special requirements. Does this account for wood products and their production processes as well?

Requirements on wood and other bio-based products for consumer-related applications are continuously changing. Technical modifications, adaptations of standards as well as global changes may affect the utilization of sustainable wood-based products.

To evaluate the impact of these effects we advance testing methods on a scientific basis. In the context of product safety and consumer protection we also investigate production processes, products and trade routes. Additionally, we represent the German interests in international standardization procedures.

We are working on the following key topics

Emissions from wood products

Engineered Wood and solid timber emit volatile organic compounds (VOC). For the evaluation of wood products, the understanding of origin, delivery and toxicology of VOCs is required.

Monitoring of wood damaging insects and fungi

Wood is exposed to a variety of biotic factors. The characterization, detection and control of wood-destroying organisms is one of the national and international tasks.