Richard Hyett

AUSTRALIA — Russian fibre still runs through timber sold on the Australian market, frequently accompanied by certification paperwork that cannot be legitimate because every Russian FSC and PEFC certificate was terminated when the war began. That is according to Source Certain, the forensic science company behind the DAFF-commissioned testing cited throughout the Senate’s sanctions inquiry, which has doubled down on its findings in a statement welcoming the committee’s recognition of scientific origin verification. “Source Certain can confirm that it continues to detect Russian fibre in products at its service locations around the world, including in Australia,” the company said. “This timber fibre frequently enters the market accompanied by supply chain documentation and due diligence indicating the product is traceable to a sustainable source certified under third-party certification schemes.” That paperwork, on the company’s account, cannot be genuine. …The answer, on the company’s telling, is chemistry alongside the paperwork rather than instead of it.