Peat-free products

Image: Pansies in Sylvamix Potting
© Melcourt Industries Ltd

Peat-free products

Cheap, usually imported, bags of peat do not reflect the environmental costs to society caused by peat mining and are undercutting the production and supply of peat-free materials. Advances in the development of peat-free horticultural products, means that the UK could establish its own long-term viable industry providing sustainable soil conditioners and growing materials for amateur and professional gardeners.

The benefits of peat-free products far outweight the cost of peat extraction.


Many peat-free composts work as effectively or even better than peat. Much of the material used for peat replacement contributes to recycling, such as green compost, or uses by-products including wood brash and other forestry waste. Commercially grown and harvested Sphagnum moss is also proving popular with the professional horticulture industry.


At an International Peat Society Summit in Rotterdam in 2018 there was recognition that International policy is moving increasingly towards more sustainable products, through ecolabelling and demands on producers to bear the environmental costs of their activities.  Supporting a speedy switch to peat-free products would help meet the environmentally responsible demands of society. It would also enable the UK to take a lead in supplying these sustainable materials rather than becoming dependent on imports.


A roundtable event held in Edinburgh including retailers and horticulture producers highlighted that there are already a number of manufacturers of peat-free soil conditioners and growing media in the UK. Given the right market signals and investment in this new industry by Government and with retailers support it will be possible to facilitate a shift away from peat and provide new opportunities for expanding employment.  

 

To coincide with the UNFCCC COP26 Peatland Pavilion in November 2021 'Peat-free Horticulture – Demonstrating Success' is now the third publication in our Demonstrating Success series, showcasing examples of organisations who have demonstrated the high-quality results that can be achieved without the use of peat in horticulture. You can read the publication here


Ending the horticultural use of peat is important to help protect rare wildlife habitat and reduce carbon emissions but is also essential to placing the UK’s gardening retail and horticulture industry on a secure long-term basis.  Supporting the businesses that are developing the peat-free products is not just the responsibility of Government Environment Departments but also Trade and Industry and Climate Change.

 

Melcourt: Moving towards a future of peat-free products

Scottish Wildlife Trust: 50 of the future

Plantlife: The pain of a peat-free UK

     

Plantlife, along with the RSPB, Wildlife Trusts and Friends of the Earth, is calling on government and industry to replace peat use in gardening and horticulture - see Plantlife peat campaign

 

Molinia Mulching Agglestone Mire, remover higher tussocks to increase the connectivity of the floodplain (c) Sally Wallington
Dorset peatland restorationThe Dorset Peat Partnership completed the first of their sixteen peatland restoration sites in…
Work begins at Duchal Moor. © Giulia Spilotros/Glasgow Green Network Clyde Valley
Council leads the way with major peatland restoration project A three-year project to restore an area of peatland larger than 780 football pitches in Inverclyde…
Eyes on the Bog logo
Funding for Eyes on the Bog users Our Eyes on the Bog Fund aims to support existing Eyes on the Bog users to purchase new equipment,…
Forest to Bog Restoration cover image and example spread
New report showcases successes in forest to bog restoration'Forest to Bog Restoration: Demonstrating Success', the fourth publication the series, highlights…
Sphagnum pulchrum © Brian Eversham
Don't miss our 'Measuring biodiversity: from principles to practice' webinar!Join the IUCN UK Peatland Programme for this free webinar as we explore traditional and…
Sphagnum lindbergii (c) Emma Hinchliffe
Introducing our species showcasesThroughout 2024, we are celebrating peatland biodiversity through a series of monthly showcases…
Emperor moth (C) Pete Quinn
Come and volunteer with us!We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Communications Volunteer who can help us with our…
Snowdon (c) Marian Pye
Fill in the PeatQuest Survey to shape global peatland researchThe PeatQuest Research Project team are inviting you to participate in their global survey, as your…
Peter Jones
New Year Honours for peatland specialistNatural Resources Wales’ senior peatland specialist, Dr Peter Jones, has been awarded an MBE for…
Saltyco Engine Farm Paludiculture trials (C) E Hinchliffe
Paludiculture call for evidence for Peatland CodePlease fill in our survey! We are inviting evidence for all paludiculture sites and all crop types…
Screenshot of Virtual Peatland Pavilion
New Virtual Peatland PavilionThe IUCN UK Peatland Programme and Richard Lindsay have produced a new Virtual Peatland Pavilion,…
Clifton Bain (c) IUCN UK PP
Clifton Bain retires after 14 yearsAfter 14 years at the IUCN UK Peatland Programme, our Programme Advisor Clifton Bain, is retiring.…