Unfortunately it's not simply the case of the import/export distances involved in using Coir based compost being offset by growing your own fruit/veg, because the washing processes involved that's needed to wash the Coir is massively intensive, using massive amounts of water and industrial machinery to fulfil this process, and is even being outsourced to the Low countries (Belgium/Holland), for companies within those countries to wash the Coir using inordinate amounts of water to get it clean enough for gardeners to use. The use of this massive amount of water is not good for the planet, and is doing as much damage as the use of Peat. I'm afraid a lot of these Peat free products, much like many, so called, eco friendly, is not the Panacea that we would be lead to believe, perhaps why the rest of Europe is not banning Peat based products just yet until a more sustainable and equally effective products to Peat are found. In addition to this, there really is no Standardisation' of Peat Free composts as yet, that have to suffer the same rigours as some other product. Without the 'Peat Free' side of things being industry standardised, it leaves loop holes, and short cuts in the manufacturing processes that could leave gardeners with substandard growth patterns and even worse. Once again, the UK is not so much 'leading the way', more 'jumping from the frying pan into the fire', with the rest of Europe looking on and saying 'let the UK make all the mistakes first'.
Importing Coco coir half way around the world is sooo sustainable 😂
Unfortunately it's not simply the case of the import/export distances involved in using Coir based compost being offset by growing your own fruit/veg, because the washing processes involved that's needed to wash the Coir is massively intensive, using massive amounts of water and industrial machinery to fulfil this process, and is even being outsourced to the Low countries (Belgium/Holland), for companies within those countries to wash the Coir using inordinate amounts of water to get it clean enough for gardeners to use. The use of this massive amount of water is not good for the planet, and is doing as much damage as the use of Peat. I'm afraid a lot of these Peat free products, much like many, so called, eco friendly, is not the Panacea that we would be lead to believe, perhaps why the rest of Europe is not banning Peat based products just yet until a more sustainable and equally effective products to Peat are found. In addition to this, there really is no Standardisation' of Peat Free composts as yet, that have to suffer the same rigours as some other product. Without the 'Peat Free' side of things being industry standardised, it leaves loop holes, and short cuts in the manufacturing processes that could leave gardeners with substandard growth patterns and even worse. Once again, the UK is not so much 'leading the way', more 'jumping from the frying pan into the fire', with the rest of Europe looking on and saying 'let the UK make all the mistakes first'.