Russian timber, including hardwood plywood, has continued to find its way around U.S. tariffs and sanctions by being funneled through Vietnam, an investigation has found.
Russian timber, including hardwood plywood, has continued to find its way around U.S. tariffs and sanctions by being funneled through Vietnam, an investigation has found.
A study by the Environmental Investigation Agency, a nonprofit watchdog group based in the U.K., found that a majority of birch products being exported from Vietnam to the U.S. originated in Russia.
“EIA’s findings suggest the United States is failing to routinely monitor imports under the Lacey Act—in particular the mandatory requirement for importers to declare the country where the wood was harvested—allowing the flow of potentially illegal, conflict-tainted timber to continue unabated and unscrutinized,” the organization stated.
Since sanctions and tariffs were imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in February, U.S. plywood imports from Vietnam have surged—jumping over 200% in March and April.