Peat ban wobbles?
Peat-based compost is likely to remain on sale at some garden centres in 2024, despite the Government promising a ban to protect precious peat bogs. Asking why the ban had failed to materialise – and when it would kick in – GN approached the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), but the timescale appears to be as clear as mud.
A DEFRA spokeswoman said: “The Government remains committed to legislating for a ban on the sale of peat as soon as parliamentary time allows.”
Catherine Dawson, former chair of the Growing Media Association, and technical director at Melcourt Industries, which makes SylvaGrow peatfree compost, shed more light. She explained: “It now looks unlikely the Government will find parliamentary time to introduce legislation to ban the retail sale of peat in 2024 as promised. However, many retailers and manufacturers are so committed to peat-free products, I predict a continuing move away from peat. Only 17% of retail growing media was made from peat in 2022.”
Editor of trade magazine Horticulture Week, Matthew Appleby, said: “Many big chains’ bagged compost ranges are already peat-free. Smaller garden centres will keep one or two peatbased lines, such as Jack’s Magic, until the Government bans peat, which may not be until 2028.”
In November, Evergreen Garden Care, the company behind the Miracle-Gro brand, announced that its final bag of peat compost had rolled off the production lines, while rival compost giant Westland told GN: “While Westland is the leading supplier of peat-free compost to the home gardener, we do still have certain bags that include peat.”