News from the gardening world
Key compost ingredient to be phased out as alternatives gain ground
Peat use in gardens will be gone inside 10 years as an increasing range of alternatives are brought to market for consumers and the nursery trade switches to peat-free composts, says a top industry expert,
Neil Bragg, chair of the Growing Media Association (GMA), said the sea change by manufacturers is being ushered in by the international groundswell of environmental concerns about the ecological value of wetlands, where peat is traditionally harvested, and its value in locking away atmospheric carbon. The issue has been ongoing for more than 20 years, with the government’s voluntary 2020 target date to phase out peat for amateur gardeners missed.
With its innate ability to sustain a wide range of plants, consistency of supply and relative cheapness to harvest and manufacture, peat has proved challenging to substitute. Unfitfor-purpose peat-free or low-peat products introduced by some manufacturers over a decade ago severely damaged consumer confidence, particularly those using highly variable composted green waste, which proved difficult to manage. Alternative ingredients to peat centre on three main ingredients – composted green waste, coir and wood products, such as pulverised fibre and milled bark, although some suppliers use local alternatives, like Dalefoot Composts in Cumbria, which uses sheep’s wool and composted bracken.
Responsible sourcing
To establish a mechanism to impartially evaluate raw materials used in compost formulations, the GMA has introduced the Responsible Sourcing Scheme (RSS). This will facilitate an environmental assessment of products used by member producers, which covers 80 per cent of compost brands. “Peat can now be evaluated against alternative materials,” said Neil. “I’m not saying peat is good or bad. It allows us to have an intelligent discussion.”
Steve Harper, Head of Commercial Sales and Marketing at compost manufacturer The Greener Gardening Company (previously Bord na Móna), is leading the RSS initiative.
“We know we have to tackle the carbon issue, but we also know we have to get it right. The last thing we need is having to reassess the products we use in 10 years' time because they’re considered to be as environmentally damaging as peat,” he said.
“It’s previously been estimated that half the carbon footprint of compost is the cost of shipment from source to retail outlets. The materials we are using are heavier and cost more than peat. The market for wood-based products is very competitive as we have to compete with the biomass industry who burn it for fuel, a situation incentivised by government.
"Products such as bark also fall under the plant passporting system, making it more challenging to import and move around. Coir is fantastic, but it costs five times more than peat and has to be imported.”
Rebuilding confidence and trust of home gardeners is key if they are to continue buying peat-free