This week saw, finally, the wider public announcement that peat will be banned from retail outlets for 2024. We welcome this BUT it has taken since 2009 – the first government consultation – and their urge to us all to take voluntary action with no discernible change in use. It is worth saying that it is over 40 years since peat extraction was proven to contribute to at least 4% of carbon to the UK climatic change crisis. BCCS has been actively campaigning for peat free compost since 2013-14, and in 2020 combined forces with GWT for “Peat Free Bisley”. Although amateur gardeners contribute most to the use of peat the government is only consulting with the commercial horticultural sector from this autumn – again!
Some peat free composts are rubbish – see our list of recommended varieties that we will continue to monitor and update.
Why hasn’t the government simply banned the mining of peat, full stop. Then there would be no need for all these endless consultations, divi-ing the sectors, endless delaying tactics – its so frustrating