Phasing out peat in organic horticulture in the UK

This project started in 2022 and is likely to continue into 2028

It started with the presentation of a Responsible Sourcing Of Growing Media Scheme in the UK.

The scheme aims to “bring far greater transparency to what exactly is contained within composts and what the impacts of these ingredients are” and to do so it rates media impact on the following categories: energy, water, social compliance, habitat & biodiversity, pollution, renewability, and resource use efficiency. 

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Next steps:

By 2025: for organic growers to take a lead, using responsibly sourced growing media inputs; and non an organisational level, for RHS and SA to work on ensuring that EU regulations and UK National Organics Standards require peat-free medium.

By 2028, to provide responsibly sourced growing media and system solutions and ensure that peat-free organic standards are not superseded by national regulations.  

 

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