TIMCON welcomes growth in understanding of biomass subsidy impact
October 11th 2011

The Timber Packaging & Pallet Confederation (TIMCON) is pleased with increasingly widespread understanding of the effects of subsidising the biomass industry.

The organisation, which represents UK packaging and pallet manufacturers, says its own efforts, and those of other timber-based industries, and a number of high-profile news stories, have led to growing consideration of the potential damage that artificial support for biomass projects can cause to both the UK economy and to the environment.

TIMCON president, John Dye, said: “On the face of it, subsidising biomass may appear to be good for the environment; however, the practice instead encourages the burning of solid, carbon-storing wood, which would have a much longer and beneficial lifespan being used in manufacture.

"By diverting essential supplies from manufacturing, subsidies also damage the economy, dramatically increasing the price of essential and environmentally friendly products such as timber pallets and packaging. We are alarmed to see predictions that if demand subsidised by the biomass industry grows to the size forecast, the price of timber could rise to more than double current levels in the near to medium term. This would clearly have the knock on effect of increasing prices of end products to customers."

More articles from Timcon: