Dataset Information

Fraud and misrepresentation in retail forest products exceeds U.S. forensic wood science capacity.

ABSTRACT: Fraud and misrepresentation in forest products supply chains is often associated with illegal logging, but the extent of fraud in the U.S. forest products market, and the availability of forensic expertise to detect it, is unknown. We used forensic wood anatomy to test 183 specimens from 73 consumer products acquired from major U.S. retailers, surveyed U.S. experts regarding their forensic wood anatomy capacity, and conducted a proficiency-testing program of those experts. 62% of tested products (45 of 73) had one or more type of fraudulent or misrepresented claim. Survey respondents reported a total capacity of 830 wood specimens per year, and participants' identification accuracy ranged from 6% to 92%. Given the extent of fraud and misrepresentation, U.S. wood forensic wood anatomy capacity does not scale with the need for such expertise. We call for increased training in forensic wood anatomy and its broader application in forest products supply chains to eliminate fraud and combat illegal logging.

SUBMITTER: Wiedenhoeft AC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6657862 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Fraud and misrepresentation in retail forest products exceeds U.S. forensic wood science capacity.

Wiedenhoeft Alex C AC Simeone John J Smith Amy A Parker-Forney Meaghan M Soares Richard R Fishman Akiva A

PloS one 20190725 7

Fraud and misrepresentation in forest products supply chains is often associated with illegal logging, but the extent of fraud in the U.S. forest products market, and the availability of forensic expertise to detect it, is unknown. We used forensic wood anatomy to test 183 specimens from 73 consumer products acquired from major U.S. retailers, surveyed U.S. experts regarding their forensic wood anatomy capacity, and conducted a proficiency-testing program of those experts. 62% of tested products ...[more]

PMID: 31344141

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Dataset Information

Fraud and misrepresentation in retail forest products exceeds U.S. forensic wood science capacity.

Publications

Fraud and misrepresentation in retail forest products exceeds U.S. forensic wood science capacity.

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