As part of the European BUFFER+ project, the Chamber of Agriculture of the Pays de la Loire and AC3A, supported by the Oköwerk Emden Foundation carried out a review of scientific publications on the growing media market and consulted manufacturers and professional users of growing substrates to assess the feasibility of a transition towards peat-free growing media.
Specialist crop production sectors, such as horticulture, nurseries and vegetable transplant production, are highly dependent on the use of growing media. Peat is the most emblematic material used in these substrates. However, its use is increasingly being questioned due to the significant environmental impacts associated with peatland extraction.
The use of peat in growing media production varies according to the local availability of peatlands. Northern European countries, which are rich in peat resources, have traditionally produced growing media almost exclusively from peat. In these countries, a well-established economic ecosystem has developed around growing media, supplying both peat and ready-made substrates across Europe.
The growing prominence of climate-related concerns at the beginning of the 21st century prompted governments, including those of the United Kingdom and Germany, to introduce regulatory measures encouraging manufacturers to reduce, or even eliminate, peat from their growing media. Among the alternatives to peat, four main co-products are currently used: bark, wood fibre, green waste compost and coconut coir. Nevertheless, a number of constraints continue to limit their widespread substitution for peat.
In addition, forward-looking studies predict a significant increase in demand for growing media in the medium term, driven primarily by expanding demand in Asia. As a result, the need to mobilise alternative materials to peat for growing media production appears increasingly urgent. Furthermore, supporting growers throughout this transition will be essential to ensure its success.
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