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Peat sales to England's Gardeners to end in 2024

KiliKili Posts: 1,104
edited August 2022 in The potting shed
The end of peat sales to England's Gardeners.

"Sale of peat-based compost for use on private gardens and allotments to be outlawed within 18 months"

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/27/englands-gardeners-to-be-banned-from-using-peat-based-compost

'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

George Bernard Shaw'

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  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    let's hope suppliers get their act together and make a consistently viable alternative
    Devon.
  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,511
    Hooray!  :)  :):)
    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Very telling that the ban does not apply to "industry"  which uses " 29% " of peat used . I supspect that's because they know the alternatives aren't up to much currently.
    Devon.
  • AstraeusAstraeus Posts: 336
    Great news.

    And if the rise of vaping after the smoking ban is anything to go by, this should spur the industry into committing more resource to improving alternatives to peat-based compost.
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    I don't suppose the industry will put too much effort into a good alternative.  They know we will have little option but to accept whatever rubbish they decide to sell as compost.  Many of us don't have the ability to produce it for ourselves.
  • AstraeusAstraeus Posts: 336
    KT53 said:
    I don't suppose the industry will put too much effort into a good alternative.  They know we will have little option but to accept whatever rubbish they decide to sell as compost.  Many of us don't have the ability to produce it for ourselves.
    That's not what happened with smoking. Billions has been poured into improving alternative products to create new consumers for the likes of Philip Morris, BAT and others.
  • Chris-P-BaconChris-P-Bacon Posts: 943
    Hostafan1 said:
    let's hope suppliers get their act together and make a consistently viable alternative
    In 18 months nobody will be able to afford compost at all...peat-based or otherwise.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I wonder if those of us who can make vast quantities of compost could sell it very cheaply or give it to others less fortunate. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    pansyface said:
    Well, if industry uses 29% that means that the ban will deal with 71% of the destruction. Surely that’s more than a glass half full?
    If the alternatives are " fit for purpose " why has the industry been granted an exemption?
    Devon.
  • AstraeusAstraeus Posts: 336
    Hostafan1 said:
    pansyface said:
    Well, if industry uses 29% that means that the ban will deal with 71% of the destruction. Surely that’s more than a glass half full?
    If the alternatives are " fit for purpose " why has the industry been granted an exemption?
    Interesting one.

    See here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/ending-the-retail-sale-of-peat-in-horticulture-in-england-and-wales/outcome/summary-of-responses-and-government-response (search for "exemption"). It wasn't immediately obvious to me but it may well be because, whilst there are viable alternatives for gardening, there aren't viable alternatives for scientific uses or whisky producing uses of peat.
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