Celebrities back last chance for UK Government to fulfil promise to ban sale of peat

Kent Wildlife Trust, The Wildlife Trusts and celebrity supporters are urging the UK Government to seize a final chance to ban sales of peat products ahead of the general election as promised. The opportunity to pass legislation comes via the new Horticultural Peat Private Members Bill to be debated in the House of Commons today, Tuesday 16th April, proposed by former Environment secretary Theresa Villiers.

The campaign to stop peat extraction took off 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. However, sales of peat compost and peat-containing products remains legal in the UK, contributing to the destruction of peatland habitats here and across Europe.

95% of people that responded to the UK Government’s consultation – of which 88% were amateur gardeners – were in favour of a complete retail sales ban.

Alison Steadman, actor and ambassador for The Wildlife Trusts, says:

“The Government is running out of time to fulfil its promise to ban the sale of peat to gardeners by the end of this parliament. Peat belongs in bogs not bags and its high time that commitments to ensure a ban are honoured. What’s left of precious peatlands needs protecting and restoring, not despoiling. Whenever a peatland is dug up a natural habitat is destroyed with appalling consequences for wildlife and our climate. Let’s get on with the ban and not kick the can down the road any longer.”

Iolo Williams, vice-president of The Wildlife Trusts, says:

“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. Welsh people have a real understanding of how wonderful peatlands are and it is tragic that 90% of these treasured habitats are now in an unhealthy state. 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!"

Cel Spellman, actor and ambassador for The Wildlife Trusts, says:

“We can all learn how to grow beautiful plants and our own food without using peat. There is already lots of insightful  advice out there to help, including a free guide on going peat-free by The Wildlife Trusts. Our compost heap is a cornerstone on mine and my friend’s allotment. It’s easy to create nutrient-rich soils and compost without ever needing peat.  Ending the sale of peat products would be a huge step forward and a much needed one too – I hope the UK Government picks up its heels on this issue that has simply dragged on for far too long, especially after already going back on so many other promises and commitments.”

Ailis Watt, public affairs officer of The Wildlife Trusts, says:

“Peatlands are central to our ability to address the interlinked nature and climate crises. When in a healthy state, peatlands lock up and store carbon for millennia. However, decades of human interventions have transformed peatlands into carbon sources; emissions from degraded peatlands now account for 4% of the UK’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions.”

UK Government timeline of ban on horticultural peat

• 2011: Government sets voluntary target set to end use of bagged peat compost by 2020. This was missed by a large margin – in 2021, over 1 million m3 of peat was sold to amateur gardeners.
• 2021: Government launches consultation on ‘Ending the retail sale of peat in horticulture in England and Wales’.
• 2022: Consultation reveals that 95% of respondents want to see a ban on the sale of peat. Government commits to a ban by the end of this Parliament in 2024.
• 2023: Government sets out the programme of legislation for its final session of Parliament, but with no mention of legislation to ban peat sales.
• 2024: Government changes tack, stating that peat sales ban will come only “when parliamentary time allows.”

The Office for Environmental Protection, the government’s environment watchdog, recently warned that UK Government remains “largely off track to meet its environmental ambitions”, and its advisors have cautioned that progress in reducing emissions is stalling because policy development is too slow. This is perfectly exemplified by the policy failure to ban peat sales.

In 2022, The Wildlife Trusts published analysis that revealed the policy failures to stop peat extraction has caused up to 31 million tonnes of CO2 to be released since 1990. That is equivalent in emissions terms to 15 million return flights from London to New York or the annual emissions produced by over 7 million cars.

Peatlands provide vital habitat for a variety of plant and animal species, many of which are specifically adapted to the waterlogged and acidic conditions peatlands provide. With 1 in 6 species now at risk of extinction in Great Britain, an immediate ban on the destruction of peatlands for gardening and growing would make important progress towards reversing these catastrophic declines.

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. This commitment requires cooperation between the Westminster and Holyrood Governments to better protect this globally important natural resource.

Editors notes