Wood in the Rough Order, 2000

L.N. 183 of 2000

QUALITY CONTROL

(EXPORTS, IMPORTS AND LOCAL GOODS) ACT

(CAP. 225)

Wood in the Rough Order, 2000

(Order No. 44 of 2000)

IN exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Quality

Control (Exports, Imports and Local Goods) Act, the Malta Standards

Authority has made the following order:-

1 The title of this Order is the Wood in the Rough Order, 2000

and may be referred to as Order No. 44 of 2000.

1.2

This Mandatory Order shall come into effect as from 1st

January, 2001.

1. Measurement

1.1

General

1.1.1 Measurement shall be either by volume (true or stacked cubic metres) or

by weight.

1.1.2 Only the metric system shall be used for measuring.

1.1.3 Measuring instruments shall be officially inspected and maintained in good

condition.

1.2 Wood in the full length

1.2.1 Wood in the rough whose volume is usually expressed in true cubic metres

shall be called wood in the full length.

1.2.2 Wood in the full length shall usually be measured in individual units. Wood

in the full length of irregular shape shall be measured by sections.

1.2.3 The volume of an individual unit shall be determined from the length and

the diameter measured over or under bark. Volume shall be calculated to the nearest

two decimal places at least, using customary cube tables.

1.2.4 Diameter measurements shall be rounded off to the centimetre below. Where

diameter is measured over bark, a reasonable reduction shall be made. The reduction

made shall be stated.

1.2.5 In the case of measurements up to and including 19 cm, the diameter under

bark shall be measured in one operation using a forestry calliper on the felled trunk

(horizontal diameter). In the case of measurements over 20 cm under bark, however,

the diameter shall be determined by two intersecting measurements made

perpendicularly one to the other (as far as possible, at the narrowest diameter and the

widest diameter). If the place to be measured is situated on a whorl of branches or at

another irregular part of the trunk, the diameter shall be obtained by taking the average

of the measurements made on either side and at an equal distance from the place to be

measured.

1.2.6 Length measurements shall be rounded off to the decimetre below. For

wood in the full length with a middle diameter of 20 cm or less under bark, the length

may be rounded off to the metre below. If there is a felling bevel, the length shall be

measured from the middle of that bevel.

Wood in stacked cubic metres

1.3

1.3.1 Wood in the rough whose volume is usually expressed in stacked cubic

metres shall be called wood in stacked cubic metres.

1.3.2 Wood in stacked cubic metres shall be over-measured in height by at least

3%.

2. Classification

2.1

General

2.1.1 Wood in the rough may be classified

(a) by species and common name,

(b) by dimensions,

(c) by quality.

2.2

Classification by dimensions

2.2.1 For measuring the diameter and the length for the purpose of classification,

items 1.2.4, 1.2.5 and 1.2.6 shall apply.

2.2.2 Dimension classification shall be made, irrespective of length, according

to the middle diameter under bark using the following classifications

Class

Diameter

LO

not more than 10 cm

L 1a

10 to 14 cm

L 1b

15 to 19 cm

L2a

20 to 24 cm

L2b

25 to 29 cm

L3a

30 to 34 cm

L3b

35 to 39 cm

40 to 49 cm

50 to 59 cm

60 cm or more

2.2.3 Further classes may be formed above class 6, maintaining however the

same graduation. Subdivision into a and b subclasses may be disregarded or extended

to all classes.

2.2.4 Wood in the full length may also be classified by minimum length and

minimum top diameter under bark corresponding to that length using the following

classifications

Minimum top diameter

Class

Minimum length

10cm

8m

HI

10m

12cm

14cm

14m

16m

17 cm

18 m

22cm

30cm

18 m

By way of derogation from the provisions of item 1.2.3, the top diameter shall

be measured only once.

2.2.5 Certain groups made up of different types of wood in the full length (poles,

posts, etc.) shall be divided into classes according to the diameter over bark 1 cm from

the butt-end using the following classifications

Diameter

Class

PI

not more than 6 cm

7 to 13 cm

14 cm or more

2.2.6 Wood in stacked cubic metres shall be divided into classes according to

the top diameter over bark using the following classifications

Class

round logs 3 to 6 cm in diameter (small logs)

round logs 7 to 13 cm in diameter (logs)

round logs 14 cm or more in diameter and quarters

(large logs and quarters)

When wood in stacked cubic metres is stripped of its bark, the diameters given

above shall be reduced by 1 cm.

2.3

Classification by quality

2.3.1 Quality classification shall take into consideration the following criteria

- Bending: bending shall be measured by dividing the total bow, expressed

in centimetres to the nearest centimetre, by the distance separating the two extremities

of the bend, expressed in metres to one decimal place. Bending shall be expressed in

centimetres per metre.

- Twisted grain: the extent of this defect shall be measured by determining

the distance, expressed in centimetres to the nearest centimetre per metre length,

between the direction of the fibres and a generating line parallel to the axis of the

wood in the full length. Twist shall be expressed in centimetres per metre.

- Taper: taper shall be measured by dividing the difference between the

diameters of the wood in the full length 1 m from the extremities, measured in

centimetres and rounded to the centimetre below, by the distance separating them,

expressed in metres to one decimal place. Taper shall be expressed in centimetres per

metre to one decimal place.

- Exposed knots, sound (or light) knots, decayed (or black) knots. The diameter

of knots shall be measured in millimetres at their smallest dimension.

Overgrown knots, knobs.

Eccentric heart.

- Reaction wood: tension wood in the case of broad-leaved trees, compression

wood or red striped in the case of conifers.

Irregularity of contour.

Ring shakes, heart shakes, felling shakes, frost cracks.

- Wood derived from trees seasoned on the stump and defects due to seasoning,

Discoloration.

Other defects caused by harmful organisms.

2.3.2 When classification is by quality, wood in the rough shall be divided into

quality classes according to the following classifications

Sound wood, possessing superior specific qualities, free from

defects or possessing defects so slight as not to limit its use.

Wood of standard quality, including wood from trees seasoned

on the stump, possessing one or more of the following defects

slight bending and twisted grain, slight taper, no large knots,

some small or medium sound knots, a small number of decayed

knots of reduced size, slightly eccentric heart, some

irregularities of contour or other isolated defects offset by

general good quality.

Wood which, by reason of its defects, can be classified neither

in Class AlEEC nor in Class BIBEC, but which is nevertheless

of a quality such that it can be used in industry.

2.3.3 Wood in the full length in quality classes AJEEC and ClEEC must bear an

indelible class identification mark. The class identification mark is not necessary for

wood in the full length of class BIEEC.

1

This Mandatory Order shall apply to wood in the rough

marketed as "EEC classified" wood in the rough.

1

For the purposes of this Mandatory Order, unless the context

otherwise requires, the following definitions shall apply

3.1.1 "wood in the rough" means felled timber, topped and lopped,

whether or not stripped of its bark, cross-cut or cleft.

1

Wood in the rough may not be described as "EEC classified"

when it is placed on the market unless it has been classified and, where

appropriate, marked as required in the Schedule to this Order.

4.2

The classification listed in the Schedule may be given only

to wood in the rough which has been classified as required in the

Schedule.

4.3

The classification system provided for in this Order is not

compulsory and non-classified wood in the rough may be placed on the

market.