Incentives For Peat-Free Growing Media And Soil Conditioners

EDM number 863 in 1992-93, proposed by Andrew Bowden on 17/11/1992.

That this House notes with concern the continuing damage to lowland peatland, a nationally rare and threatened habitat; urges the introduction and promotion of fiscal incentives to help meet the capital costs of commercial composting units and anaerobic digestors set up to local authorities private companies and farmers, marketing peat-free growing media and soil conditioners as a major contribution towards protecting Europe's threatened lowland peatland and as a means of meeting the Government's recycling targets; recommends the promotion of recycled organic material for use in horticulture, following the example taken by the Department of Transport in their tree planting programme; recognises that encouraging the development of peat alternatives based on waste products will prove long term savings for local and national Government through reducing the high costs associated with landfill and other waste disposal and will place the United Kingdom in a good position to meet the growing demand for such products world wide; continues to oppose new planning applications for peat extraction in sites of special scientific interest; notes that the EC Habitats Directive will require protection of wildlife sites of Community importance, such as lowland peatbogs; and calls for new measures to safeguard all lowland peatlands of importance for nature conservation.

This motion has been signed by a total of 92 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.