MPs and celebrities have rallied together to call for a ban on the sale of peat in a bid to protect the nation’s countryside.
The law could be changed through the new Horticultural Peat Private Members Bill which will be debated in the Commons on Tuesday.
Peatlands provide vital habitat for a number of plant and animal species but are often destroyed for peat gardening products.
TV presenter Iolo Williams, actresses Alison Steadman and Cel Spellman, alongside Tory MPs have demanded a ban on the sale of peat before the general election later this year.
Tim Loughton MP said: “The UK is privileged to have such a unique set of natural resources. One of the most important for our climate goals is peatland. Peatlands make up 11% of England’s green and pleasant land, but 87% of them have been left dried out, damaged, or degraded.
“But it is not too late. As well as efforts to restore our precious peatlands, we can also take pragmatic action to reduce demand for peat as a product. This starts with the government delivering on its pledge to ban peat and peat-containing products in the retail sector now that there are similarly priced alternatives easily available for consumers to buy.”
The campaign to stop peat extraction began in the 1990s and legislation to ban peat sales has been pondered by the UK Government for over a decade.
Two years ago it promised a ban by the end of this Parliament in 2024 but sales of peat compost and peat-containing products remain legal in the UK.
Mr Williams, vice-president of The Wildlife Trusts, said: “The Welsh Government, alongside the UK Government, promised that a ban on the sale of peat compost would be introduced by the end of this year, but there’s no sign that this will happen.
“Peatlands have the power to help lock up carbon, alleviate flooding and help wildlife recover – so why on earth are we still allowing them to be dug-up? It has to stop!”
The majority of UK peatlands are in Scotland, covering 20% of Scotland’s land. The Scottish Government has committed to phasing out peat use in horticulture and in 2023 consulted on ending the sale of peat in Scotland.
Campaigners said this commitment requires cooperation between the Westminster and Holyrood Governments to better protect the natural resource.
Kitty Thompson, senior nature programme manager at the Conservative Environment Network, said: “Gardeners should be able to buy from a garden centre without fear that their purchase will cause environmental harm elsewhere.
“The evidence is clear: peatland degradation has turned a vital carbon store into a net emitter of carbon.
“Despite many wanting to do the right thing, gardeners face an uphill battle to go peat-free as products containing peat are often not clearly labelled.
“Having already committed millions of pounds to peatland restoration, the government’s efforts will be in vain if the demand for peat is not also reduced.
“With suitable, similarly-priced alternatives now available, and with over a decade for industry to prepare, the government should have no qualms about fulfilling its commitment to ban peat in the retail horticulture sector.
“Doing so will be a win for our natural environment and for green-fingered shoppers.”
