The National Standards Authority Ireland (NSAI) has issued a warning to the construction industry on the non-compliance of certain types of imported Chinese plywood.

According to he body, it has identified a number of issues regarding the safety, quality and performance of a number of plywood products imported from China.

Fergal O'Byrne, NSAI Certification, said: "Irish importers are purchasing the plywood in good faith from suppliers claiming to have all the supporting documentation. Certain mills in China have either misrepresented CE marks on substandard products or supplied standard and non-standard products in the same or subsequent shipments. This has given us serious concerns about the reliability and quality of all such material. CE marking is based on the principle that a manufacturer should be able to prove that its product is fit for its intended end use."

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Imports of Chinese plywood to Ireland and Europe dramatically increased over the last few years.

Maurice Buckley, CEO, NSAI, added: "NSAI have traced the imported plywood to a number of Chinese manufacturers who are purporting to have all necessary support certification but are in fact feigning compliance with European standards. Also, contractors have found that they are being required to remove faulty product from sites. In addition to the costs involved in replacing faulty product and the associated labour costs, there is also a potential health & safety risk to both site workers and the public as the plywood is susceptible to disintegration when exposed to wet conditions."

In Ireland, construction products such as structural plywood must comply with the National Building Regulations.

(NS/BMcc)