House of Commons - Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs

Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Report

Memorandum by the Peatlands Campaign Consortium (EL 16)

SUMMARY

— Peat extraction to satisfy consumer demand is destroying peat bogs—rare and threatened habitats which are a priority for conservation under the EU Habitats Directive.

— Commercial peat extraction is not a sustainable activity.

— While conservation and planning policies could protect UK peat bogs, a change in the market is essential to ensure long-term protection for peatlands.

— Sales of peat to amateur gardeners rose significantly between 1993 and 1997.

— Environmentally sustainable alternatives to peat are available but progress in their development has been hampered.

— EU ecolabels for soil improvers and growing media have not been effective.

— Reasons for continued purchase of peat by consumers include issues relating to awareness, effectiveness, price and other retailing considerations.

— Sale of sustainable alternatives would be encouraged by provision of standardised information, quality standards, fiscal incentives, labels and awards, and effective marketing. "Dilution" of peat products could be a useful short-term measure.

— The Government is unlikely to meet its target for market share of alternatives.

— A clear signal is needed from Government to safeguard peatlands and stimulate the market for sustainable alternatives.

— The Peatlands Campaign Consortium urges Government to adopt the proposed target of a 50 per cent reduction in the use of peat by 2000 and for use to have stopped by 2005.

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Peatlands Campaign Consortium (PCC) is a coalition of 14 conservation non-governmental organisations, with around four million members and supporters, which work together on the issue of peatland conservation. The campaign to safeguard peatlands has been running since 1990. It has succeeded in gaining protection for a number of UK bogs and raising awareness of the link between living peatbogs and bags of compost.

1.2 The peat issue provides a good illustration of problems relating to the environmental impact of consumer products. This memorandum is also being submitted as the PCC response to the DETR consultation on "Consumer Products and the Environment".

1.3 Most peat used in the UK is extracted from lowland raised bogs. Approximately 57 per cent of this is extracted from UK bogs: the remainder is imported, primarily from Ireland but also from Eastern Europe. Fifty per cent of peat extracted from UK bogs is derived from three sites—Thorne and Hatfield Moors near Doncaster and Wedholme Flow in Cumbria; all these bogs are acknowledged by the UK Government as being of international importance.

1.4 Conservation bodies are concerned about loss and damage to lowland raised bogs because of their value for

— wildlife;

— archaeology and paleoecology;

— geology and geomorphology;

— carbon storage.

Ninety-four per cent of lowland raised bogs in the UK have been destroyed or damaged.

1.5 Active lowland raised bog (continuing to form peat) is listed as a priority habitat under the EU Habitat and Species Directive. Unusually, and because of the rarity of undamaged habitats in Europe, "degraded" bog is also listed. Under the terms of the Directive, the UK Government has selected sites as candidate Special Areas of Conservation. The Peatlands Campaign Consortium holds the view than an insufficient number of sites have been proposed, and that it will be impossible to achieve favourable conservation status (as required by the Directive) unless further measures are taken.

1.6 Peat forms in waterlogged situations where a lack of organisms which cause decomposition means that plants which die do not rot. Layers of dead plant material gradually build up as peat at a rate of around 2mm a year. Some bogs contain peat deposits up to 10m deep, and analysis of peat "cores" provides information on climate change and the history of human activity over thousands of years. Human artefacts, and even bodies, are found in peat bogs.

1.7 Peat is an organic material, composed largely of carbon. A bog actively accumulating peat is removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it.

1.8 Removal of the suface layer of living vegetation, or drainage of the bog surface, kills wildlife. It also allows decomposition of the peat to begin, destroying the archaeological archives and turning the bog from a carbon "sink" to a carbon source—releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

1.9 Commercial peat extraction cannot be carried out unless bogs are drained. Modern "milling" techniques involve the stripping of all peat-forming vegetation from hundreds or thousands of hectares of bog surface. It is not a sustainable activity.

2. SAFEGUARDING PEATLANDS

2.1 Through conservation and planning policies UK peatbogs could be protected. Some progress is being made in this area, but not to the extent considered by the PCC to be necessary. However, even if all UK bogs were protected, a change in the market is essential to prevent additional peat being imported, with consequent destruction of peatlands elsewhere.

2.2 The Peatlands Campaign Consortium has been actively involved in raising awareness of the need for peatland conservation and works with Government, retailers, producers, professional growers and amateur gardeners to promote the use of sustainable alternatives to peat. We were involved in the development of eco-labelling criteria for soil improvers and growing media.

2.3 It is the view of the PCC that change in the market is essential to ensure long-term protection for peatlands.

3. PEAT AS A CONSUMER PRODUCT

3.1 Peat is used in professional horticulture and landscaping (outside the scope of this exercise) and in amateur gardening as a soil improver, mulch and growing medium. There is a government target of 40 per cent of total market requirements to be supplied by alternatives by 2005 (MPG 13, 1995).

3.2 Research commissioned by DETR is due to be published this month. It will indicate a very significant rise in the use of peat as a growing medium by amateur gardeners since 1993 (the 1993 survey is summarised in MPG 13). Sales of peat as a soil improver and mulch are now insignificant; its use is no longer recommended by professionals.

3.3 Peat is a good growing medium and has been marketed very effectively. It appears that much of the recent increase in sales can be attributed to the growth in "patio gardening", using large containers. Garden centres use cheap peat as a "loss leader" to bring customers into stores.

4. SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES TO PEAT

4.1 Organic waste materials, such as bark and composted green waste, have largely replaced peat as soil improvers and mulches. As a growing medium the range of products available includes coir (coconut fibre) and composted bark or wood fibre.

4.2 Progress in development of the market for growing media has been hampered by

— lack of clear signals from government;

— vested interests in maintaining a market for peat;

— poor quality products on the market;

— lack of investment in research and development.

4.3 Development of EU ecolabels for soil improvers and growing media has been effectively abandoned. The key criteria are excellent, but conditions relating to nutrient content meant very few products qualified for the award. The low price of the product and the cost of registering also restricted interest in application by producers.

5. CONSUMER CHOICE

5.1 There is no conclusive evidence as to why consumers buy peat in preference to "environmentally friendly" sustainable alternatives, but the following appear to be material factors.

5.2 Awareness

5.2.1 In the early years of the campaign for peatlands there was significant awareness of the issues and the demand grew for alternatives to peat. This was not matched by availability of good quality products. In recent years the media has been reluctant to feature the issue on the basis that it has already been covered. The death of Geoff Hamilton, the media gardener who vigorously promoted use of peat-free products, has contributed to reduced publicity.

5.2.2 In 1996 the Peatlands Campaign Consortium ran events in 60 garden centres around the UK. More than 300 volunteers talked to more than 6,000 customers, explaining the peat issue and the environmental benefits of buying peat-free products. Fifty three per cent of the composts sold while volunteers were in stores were peat-free. Market research indicated that seventy nine per cent of those who normally bought peat-based compost would consider using peat-free products in the future. The key conclusions were that:

— The potential exists for UK retailers to switch from peat-based to alternative products.

— The demand for peat-free products could outstrip that for peat if consumers were helped to make an informed choice.

— The presentation and marketing of peat-free products in-store are significant factors in limiting sales.

— Clear identification of product contents would enable consumers to make an informed choice.

5.2.3 Major retailers agree (personal communication) that customers tend to buy "a bag of compost". While peat-free growing media products are generally labelled as such, not all peat-based composts refer to the ingredients. It is thought that a substantial proportion of customers do not realise that "multi-purpose compost" contains peat.

5.3 Effectiveness

5.3.1 Not all products on the market are as effective as peat-based growing media. Some that are effective require different treatment e.g., watering regimes. Labelling to indicate how products should be used is rare.

5.3.2 There is anecdotal evidence that some gardeners consider lack of success with use of peat, an "established" product, to be their own fault. Lack of success with alternative media is more likely to be blamed on the product.

5.4 Price

5.4.1 While some stores sell peat-free products at the same price, as peat, the majority do not. Price is an important consideration for consumers.

5.5 Other Retailing Considerations

5.5.1 Composts are bulky products with a low profit margin. It is uneconomic for many retailers to stock a full range of peat-based, and possibly low-peat products, as well as alternatives.

6. SOLUTIONS

6.1 Standardised Information

6.1.1 A requirement to label products with the major ingredients would enable consumers to see whether or not composts contain peat.

6.2 Quality Standards

6.2.1 At present consumers take a risk when they purchase peat-free growing media as there are no standards. The Composting Association is working to develop quality standards: this process could be accelerated by an injection of Government funds.

6.2.2 There is currently no Government funding for research and development of alternative growing media. Although there is investment into alternatives by those companies with the largest compost sales, they have a vested interest in maintaining a market for peat. Government funding would be of great value.

6.2.3 The EU Landfill Directive will require greater use of organic waste material. Investment by Government into the use of this waste as a high quality product would have major benefits.

6.3 Fiscal Incentives

6.3.1 There is an opportunity for Government to increase the attractiveness of "environmentally friendly" products though the use of fiscal incentives. A tax or levy should not disadvantage professional growers competing in a European market. Proposals have been put forward by the Peatlands Campaign Consortium.

6.4 Awards

6.4.1 The EU ecolabel for composts has not been effective. The proposal for a "greener choice" label, as outlined in paragraphs 73-76 of the consultation document, is supported by the Peatlands Campaign Consortium. The absence of peat in products, and the promotion of media derived from sustainable supplies of organic waste materials, could be covered.

6.5 Marketing

6.5.1 Government assistance to stimulate marketing of alternatives, perhaps along the lines of MAFF support for marketing of UK farm products, would be valuable. Coupled with a promotional campaign to raise awareness, a clear signal would be given to encourage further development of alternatives.

6.6 "Diluted Peat Products"

6.6.1 A partial solution to the problem of peat extraction is gaining favour with the peat industry and some retailers. It is possible to "dilute" peat with composted green waste, or other organic material, and produce a quality product. This action would clearly reduce the amount of peat used and have the advantage of increasing the use of sustainable supplies of organic waste. It would also help meet the Government target of 40 per cent of the market being supplied by alternatives by 2005.

6.6.2 Because of the poor weather throughout Europe, this summer peat supplies are low and it is expected that "diluted" peat products will appear on the market next year. The peat shortage is predicted to last for more than a year.

6.6.3 The Peatlands Campaign Consortium welcomes this as an interim measure but, unless there is a clear date by which time peat use must cease, the market is likely to be perpetuated indefinitely.

7. A TARGET FOR MARKET CHANGE

7.1 A Clear Signal from Government

7.1.1 The solutions discussed above would go some way to changing the market: but the Peatlands Campaign Consortium does not believe that they would be sufficient to safeguard peatlands.

7.1.2 Research commissioned by DETR, publication of which is imminent, will show a large increase in peat use since 1993. On its release the Peatlands Campaign Consortium will be calling for urgent action to be taken by Government, retailers, producers, professional growers and amateur gardeners.

7.1.3 The Peatlands Campaign Consortium is proposing an ambitious, but realistic, target: a 50 per cent reduction in the use of peat by 2000 and for use to have stopped by 2005. The PCC is convinced that all sectors can meet this challenge Without it, the ongoing destruction of peatbogs will continue and bogs of international environmental importance will be destroyed.

7.1.4 Government has a crucial role to play in achieving this target. A clear statement of a forthcoming end to peat sales in the UK will provide the necessary stimulus for industry.

7.1.5 We urge Government action to:

— Adopt the target and declare that trade in peat will be banned from 2005

— Encourage the rapid development and widespread adoption of quality standards for sustainable alternatives to peat, and guidance for their use

— Introduce fiscal incentives to favour peat-free products and help finance the transition to peat alternatives

— Provide the support, encouragement and funding required for successful establishment of alternative products in the UK marketplace, to include:

— research and development of alternative materials

— awareness raising and marketing support

— short-term encouragement of peat "diluted" with alternatives

— Stop extraction of peat from internationally and nationally important bogs within 6 months

Caroline Steel
Director, Habitats
The Wildlife Trusts

on behalf of the following member organisations of the Peatlands Campaign Consortium

Note: Due to the limited time available it has not been possible to gain official support for this submission from each member organisation.