UK Government bans sale of peat to amateur gardeners from 2024
The Government has announced a ban on the sale of peat to amateur gardeners in England by 2024, in one of the most significant changes to gardening in a generation. The announcement follows a public consultation which received more than 5,000 responses, over 95 per cent of which supported a ban on retail peat sales.
The ban aims to protect peatlands and the natural environment. “Peatlands are precious ecosystems that harbour beautiful and fascinating wildlife, shape the character of iconic landscapes, purify water and help to reduce flood risk,” says Chair of Natural England, Tony Juniper. “They are also our largest natural carbon stores.” However, only 13% of peatlands are in a near-natural state due to agricultural use, overgrazing, burning and extraction for use in growing media.
Environment Minister Richard Benyon said: “The actions announced mark a new chapter in the story of our iconic peatlands, safeguarding their long-term health and vitality as part of our commitments to achieve Net Zero and deliver our 25 Year Environment Plan.”
James Barnes, Chair of the Horticultural Trades Association, says the industry has voluntarily committed to removing peat from growing media in retail as early as 2025 and last year made real strides, removing 30% of peat from compost in one year alone. “Due to the current lack of quality alternative materials to peat, an immediate ban on peat could impact significantly on the availability of growing media,” he says.
The Wildlife Trusts have welcomed the announcement. Peat Policy Officer Ailis Watt says: “Using peat in gardens is bad news for our climate and leads to the destruction of beautiful, wild places on which many of the UK’s rarest and most threatened species depend.”
The ban currently only applies to domestic gardeners, but Defra says discussions will take place about future legislation for the professional sector.
Peatlands shape iconic landscapes, purify water and help to reduce flood risk