“ Work with us to phase out peat use , protect the environment and safeguard the UK horticulture industry . ” As Defra and the Welsh government activity launch their ‘ end Retail Sale of Peat in Horticulture in England and Wales ’ interview , the UK horticulture industry highlights quislingism as the key to work out the issue of peat - use .
The horticulture sector is a green diligence at its gist and fully support politics ambitions to end the use of peat , an objective it has merge to reach voluntarily through the piece of work of its Growing Media Taskforce . The group spoke out today as Defra formally launched a long - awaited consultation on a proposal to censor peat , saying progression towards deliver the goods in this ambitiousness will be unmanageable to sustain without urgent support from the government .
“ We are an industriousness that interpret the importance of protecting our planet – we bring forth trees and plants - the essential nature - based solutions to climate alteration , ” said James Barnes , spokesman for the task force . “ We are attached to taking every realistic step towards terminate peat function and earlier this year set out to Defra a comprehensive programme which outline the natural process required by industry and , critically , by government activity , if this ambitiousness is to be realized . Neither a ban nor compass point of sale taxes will speak fundamental problems with the availability of choice to peat . ”
" Peat as an factor in turn media for the retail grocery is omit and is at its last-place since records began in 2011 , " they further explain . " Continuing this trajectory is entirely dependent on guarantee enough book and tone of alternate material . Government natural action , such as change to legislation that presently preclude the possible action of waste from the food industry from being explored , is desperately necessitate to unlock the policy barriers stand in the style . "
The willingness of the diligence to make the switch was highlighted in a recent view of retailers which record 70 per cent of respondents would regard switching to stock only peat - complimentary products for retail to the public if alternatives were easily available . It is this issue of availability which presents the magnanimous vault .
“ A forbidding on peat will cause a shortfall of around 1.5 million three-dimensional time of material that goes into bag of compost for gardeners . It will not help empty the dearth in alternative materials , ” explained Barnes .
“ Government could make a positive commitment to this by accelerating research and development ; efforts to achieve ‘ end of wastefulness ’ position for recycled materials and legal action to meliorate the consistency of household green waste collection . These are untapped source of an alternative ingredient to develop media . ”
The group also fears a point - of - cut-rate sale tax on bagged growing media will anguish UK gardener , with consumer better supported to make responsible alternative through education rather than point - of - sale charges which will drive up the cost of gardening for those who can least afford it . It points to the upcoming launching of its industriousness - led Responsible Sourcing Scheme , complement by the growth of a acquisition program to ameliorate garden pith ’ power to counsel consumers , as proactive path to corroborate alteration .
“ Positive collaboration with government , not an unnecessary ban , unrealistic timescales and threats of yet more taxes is the key to a horticulture sector without peat . An industriousness - governance partnership would enable UK horticulture to accomplish the outside competitive - border and certainty it requires to ‘ green our economy ’ ” , Barnes conclude .
“ We uphold to do everything we can to remove peat , but it needs government to step up to support this alteration . ”
