The Italian Regulatory Framework on Peat Use
Peat has been one of the main components of growing media used in Italian floriculture, nursery production, and horticulture for decades. Thanks to its high water- and nutrient-holding capacity, low weight, and physical stability, it is widely used to produce ornamental plants, vegetables, transplant seedlings, and container-grown crops. In recent years, however, its use has attracted increasing attention due to the environmental implications associated with peatland extraction, since peatlands are essential ecosystems for biodiversity conservation and carbon storage. Moreover, Italy relies entirely on imported peat, which contributes to increasing costs for growers and consumers.
Peat Use in Italian Horticulture
In the floriculture and nursery sector, peat is mainly used to produce potted ornamental plants, flowering species, forest nursery stock, and garden plants owing to its favourable characteristics for seed germination and root development. In horticulture, peat is widely used in the production of vegetable transplants and in soilless cultivation systems, where it helps ensure uniform crop growth and adequate water availability. In many professional horticultural operations, peat is still considered a strategic component of growing media, although the use of blends with reduced peat content is becoming increasingly common.
Current Legislation
At present, there is no general ban on the use of peat in growing media for floriculture, nursery production, or horticulture in Italy. The main legislative framework consists of Legislative Decree No. 75/2010, which regulates fertilizers, soil amendments, and growing media, together with Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 concerning fertilising products marketed within the European Union.
These regulations allow the use of peat as a raw material in the formulation of growing media. Producers are required to declare its presence on product labels and comply with limits regarding contaminants and agronomic characteristics. Therefore, the legislation is primarily aimed at ensuring commercial transparency and product safety, rather than directly restricting peat use.
Towards More Sustainable Growing Media
Although legislation does not prohibit peat use, several European and national policies encourage its gradual reduction. In particular, initiatives linked to the European Green Deal and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 promote the adoption of alternative growing media with lower environmental impacts.
In Italy, the progressive reduction of peat use is also encouraged through Regional Rural Development Programmes and Green Public Procurement (GPP), a legally required tool through which public authorities integrate environmental sustainability criteria into procurement procedures. To comply with this obligation, tender documents must include the Minimum Environmental Criteria, established by the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, where growing media with reduced peat content are favoured.
Alongside these policy measures, voluntary initiatives have supported the development of alternative substrates based on green and high-quality compost, composted bark, wood fibres, lignocellulosic materials, and other suitably processed organic by-products.
CREA’s Contribution
In this context, CREA – the Italian Council for Agricultural Research and Economics has promoted several research initiatives supporting the transition towards more sustainable substrates, including:
- BIOVIVO – From the Green Deal to the nursery
- EDEN – Development of materials and techniques for circular nursery production
- SUPERA – Peat-free Substrates
- HT-HG – High Tech House Garden
These initiatives have contributed to expanding knowledge on peat alternatives while supporting the development of innovative growing media suitable for professional horticulture.
Looking Ahead
Although the transition toward peat-reduced and peat-free growing media remains challenging due to several technical constraints—since peat possesses unique properties that are difficult to replicate, especially for demanding crops—research is steadily developing alternative solutions capable of maintaining high production standards.
The direction of both European and Italian environmental policies is clearly towards a gradual reduction in peat use. For growers and producers, the challenge in the coming years will be to reconcile production needs and market competitiveness with sustainability goals through the adoption of innovative growing media and lower-impact production practices.
In this context, the PEATLESS project can play an important role in supporting the transition towards more sustainable and resilient production systems by helping bridge research, innovation, and practical solutions for the horticultural sector.
