Organics recyclers have offered a cautious welcome to calls from environment secretary, Hilary Benn, to phase out peat-based composts in garden centres by 2020 under the Act On CO2 campaign.

Mr Benn said this week (Monday 8) that the horticultural industry had made progress in reducing peat over recent years but added that given the urgency of reducing emissions, the country needed to go "much further".

He commented: "I know that the proposed 2020 phase-out target for the amateur market will be challenging, but we know this is what we need to do. Peat soils are extremely valuable carbon stores as well as being home to wildlife and important to archaeology, and we should be doing everything we can to protect them."

Celebrity gardener, Diarmuid Gavin, is supporting the Act On CO2 campaign to help gardeners go peat free

Although the sector welcomes all movement towards peat-free compost it is concerned the target outlined by Mr Benn as part of the campaign will be missed in the same way the targets under the Biodiversity Action Plan have been.

The Biodiversity Action Plan called for 90% of the total market for growing media and soil conditioner to be peat-free by the end of 2010. However, the sector is currently only 54% peat-free.

Steve Harper, managing director of Vital Earth - which produces peat-free compost -commented: "I think it's a really positive step forward and achievable by 2020, I am sceptical that more hasn't been done already and feel if these new targets are not grasped now the government may have to put fiscal penalties/incentives in place to encourage the move to ensure the elimination of peat in retail compost can happen by 2020."

However, he warned: "Unfortunately if it's just left as an aspirational target like the 90% by 2010 then the chances are it'll be missed again. I believe that perhaps things could have gone further; we have good evidence now that high quality peat-free compost like Vital Earth and others can outperform peat and we have a growing number of professional growers that are making the switch or at least looking to do so. This said why restrict the change to just retail products why not drive to make the change across the board."

The Association for Organics Recycling is also unsure of the impact the campaign will have. Jeremy Jacobs, managing director, said the campaign would only be effective if there was legislative pressure on growing media manufacturers to reduce peat usage.

Although he said the measure was a positive for the organics recycling sector he reiterated the point that targets set under the Biodiveristy Action Plan had been missed and added: "The problem is that it is just a campaign and not mandatory."

The phase out is set to focus on the horticultural trade, DIY chains and garden centres and it is hoped that this type of store will cease to sell peat-based compost products for the amateur gardening market within ten years and switch to peat-free alternatives instead.

Mr Benn added: "Amateur gardeners are by far the biggest users of peat, using over two million cubic metres each year. Our research shows us that gardeners often don't realise the damage that peat extraction causes or that the compost they're buying contains peat. That is why we're launching this campaign today to raise awareness of the damage using peat-based composts can cause and help us as gardeners to choose alternative peat-free compost products."

Defra has been working with the horticultural trade, DIY chains and garden centres to provide information for gardeners on peat-free products and lower peat alternatives at point of sale.

Defra said in a statement: "Peat extraction for use in garden compost causes significant damage to the environment by harming valuable natural habitats and by releasing carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere that contributes to climate change. Around half a million tonnes of carbon dioxide is emitted each year as a result of peat extraction from UK sites for horticultural use, and this doesn't take account of the fact that we import over 50% of our peat from overseas."

Celebrity gardener, Diarmuid Gavin is supporting the campaign. He said: "Using peat-free products in the home and garden is one of the simplest, yet most effective ways that people can make a positive environmental impact and reduce their carbon footprint."

The campaign follows on from the government's 'Safeguarding our soil' strategy, which was published in September last year (see letsrecycle.com story) which stressed the role compost produced from green and food waste could have in improving the quality of UK soils.