Preparing for a Possible Peat-Free Future
June 9, 2023 
During the upcoming GreenTech show in Amsterdam, the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) will be debating sustainable growing media solutions and industry readiness in a panel session.
The horticulture industry is united in wanting to create a more sustainable sector to meet the needs of future generations. Growing media is an integral component of container-grown plant production and has come under increasing scrutiny relating to its environmental impact.
Since the 1990s, growers in countries such as the United Kingdom have been faced with pressure from campaigners and the government to reduce the use of peat. Recently, the UK government decided to bring forward its ban on the commercial use of peat in plant production from 2030 to 2026. This move will force the sector to move to peat-free production much more quickly than expected.
There are many factors that will make this transition difficult, including the availability, quality, and cost of alternatives, and the research required to produce quality plants in peat alternatives. Other countries are also being challenged in this area and are active in seeking sustainable growing media solutions.
The panel will consider the issues around this subject, growing media options for the future, and how this will affect the future of production.
Panel participants include:
- Tim Briercliffe, Secretary General, AIPH (panel chair)
- Cecilia Luetgebrune, Secretary General, Growing Media Europe
- Charl Goossens, Gova BV, the Netherlands
- Leonardo Capitanio, Vivai Capitanio, Italy and President of AIPH
- Moritz Böcking, CEO, Klasmann-Deilmann, Germany
“With a peat ban coming in the UK and significant environmental pressures on growing media in many countries, this is a topic high on the list of concerns for many container plant growers,” Briercliffe says. “This panel session will provide a moment for the international industry to discuss the issues and how to prepare for the future.”
AIPH invites all those in the ornamental horticulture supply chain to discuss the path towards sustainable growing media at its panel session on the Vision Stage at GreenTech Amsterdam, on Thursday, June 15. To register for GreenTech and the panel, visit www.greentech.nl.
Subscribe to eNewsletter
