Sustainability

There has been much discussion recently about the environmental impact of using peat in horticulture and crop production, as well as the organic and sustainable attributes of certain products. However, few delve into the true meaning of these terms, leading to unfounded opinions that peat-based substrates are not sustainable, and peat-free growing media are more environmentally friendly. To compare the sustainability of different growing media accurately, their entire life cycle must be assessed, including production, processing, delivery, use, and end of life. This evaluation should consider impacts on climate change, resources, human health, and ecosystem quality. 

In 2021, Growing Media Europe (GME) published the first sector-wide "Guidelines for calculating the environmental impact of growing media" after over two years of hard work. These guidelines adhere to the widely recognized European Union LCA standard "Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) Calculation Methodology" and combine the impact of 19 predefined environmental factors into one indicator. This standard enables all growing media manufacturers to calculate the environmental impact of their products using the same rules. 

The main conclusion drawn from the environmental impact assessments based on these guidelines is that the environmental impact of peat is similar to that of other (non-peat) components. Although considering only carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions shows a worse environmental impact score for peat throughout its life cycle, the overall negative ecological footprint of peat is lower than that of specific non-peat-based growing media. Additionally, the carbon footprint of peat is partially offset by the fact that it is extracted from responsibly produced peatlands, which are restored after extraction, acting as carbon dioxide (CO₂) absorbers that remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The peat extracted by substrate manufacturers is transformed into valuable products used to grow food, flowers, trees, and other plants, undoubtedly bringing many benefits to our environment and society.

Furthermore, there are instances where misleading or scientifically unfounded information is disseminated by official authorities. For example, in 2022, Germany proposed to the European Commission the development of a common EU strategy to promote peat reduction in horticultural growing media, based on the scientifically dubious publication of the German Thünen Institute titled "Peat replacement in horticultural growing media: availability of alternative biological materials." Germany argued that peat used in horticultural growing media can be replaced by more climate-friendly and environmentally friendly alternatives, citing the aforementioned document.

European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski assured that the Commission is aware of the necessity of peat as a growing medium in horticulture:

„[...] peat continues to be a crucial means of production of many horticultural activities, for which today no valid alternatives at a similar scale yet exist. The Commission has therefore not proposed a ban to the commercial extraction of peat or its use in horticulture“.

„While there are alternative materials available, like sawdust or coconut fibre, there are quality and environmental concerns related to these alternatives. These concerns need to be carefully evaluated before any possible action is taken“.

 

In May 2022, Growing media Europe addressed the German institute that prepared the aforementioned document and stated that the overall conclusion/assumption drawn in the Institute's paper, that sufficient non-peat components would be available to fully replace peat in European growing media production, is wrong, based on outdated, incomplete data sets and ignores the realities of both the market situation of respective raw materials and the (legally) required quality and safety standards of growing media. 5 fundamental shortcomings of the paper are indicated:

1. Strong misjudgment of economic and legal availability of non-peat raw materials;
2. Quality standards for raw bio-based materials in growing media production are almost fully ignored;
3. Wrong data on global peatland area;
4. Terms are being mixed up;
5. It is wrongly stated that peat is a fossil.


In the production of Terraerden substrates, we utilize exceptionally high-quality peat extracted from our peat bogs in Latvia. According to the Latvian Peat Association's 2020 overview of the peat mining industry, bogs account for 10% of Latvia's total territory, but peat extraction occurs in only 4% of the peatland area.

Peat is classified as a slowly renewable resource and is not a fossil fuel. Approximately 1.5 billion tonnes of peat have accumulated in Latvian peatlands. Each year, about 1.6 million tonnes of peat accumulate (assuming an average accretion rate of 2 mm per year). Over a 10-year period, an average of 0.95 million tons of peat was produced annually. Consequently, the annual increase in peatland is +0.65 million tons, indicating that less peat is extracted than it naturally regenerates.

From 1 cubic meter of peat, the following possibilities exist:

  • obtain 7,000 vegetable seedlings and yield 16 tons of cucumbers and 32 tons of tomatoes from them;
  • cultivate 6,000 tree saplings, enabling the growth of a 3-hectare forest. A 1-hectare forest attracts 370 tons of CO₂ over 50 years, and a 3-hectare forest sequesters 1,110 tons of CO₂. In conclusion, the benefits of horticultural peat, when used appropriately, are profound for both people and the environment.

The growing media sector is continually investing in mitigating its environmental impact. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that growing media contributes only minimally to the total carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and environmental impact associated with growing plants. Hence, the selection of a growing medium should consider not only its immediate effects but also its recyclability and the ecological footprint of the plants cultivated in it.

Sustainability holds paramount importance for us. Consequently, while manufacturing Terraerden products, we place particular emphasis on reducing the adverse impact on the environment.