Appeal to go peat-free'

PUBLISHED: 12:55 12 March 2010 | UPDATED: 08:35 28 March 2014

MARCH 12, 2010: A new government campaign has been launched urging gardeners to go 'peat-free' when they buy compost and play their part in the fight against climate change.

Defra, which is spearheading the new initiative, says a recent survey showed two-thirds of garden owners were unaware of the environmental issues surrounding peat and its extraction for use in compost and growbags.

When peat is harvested for use in growing media like multi-purpose compost, it damages valuable habitats and releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, research has shown.

MORE:?www.direct.gov.uk/buyingcompost