Environmental Policy

Humax operates five peat extraction sites in England and Scotland. In accordance with local and national planning legislation, all extraction sites are covered by full planning consent for mineral (peat) extraction.

Where approriate, sites are subject to agreed and binding after-use plans committing the site for agriculture, forestry or conservation restoration to conditions suitable for the regeneration of raised mire.

As founder members of the Peat Producers Association, all peat extracted by the company is in strict accordance with the Peat Producers Association code of practice. None of the company's extraction sites are designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest; no site has restrictions on extraction as a result of any adjoining SSSI.

Solway Moss, our largest site, located in Cumbria, has been operated continuously by our company since 1896; all other sites have been in production for at least 30 years with the exception of Creca Moss, established in 1984.

As a matter of policy the company has been actively involved in the selection and use of peat alternatives suitable for specific markets, where possible it is policy to actively promote the use of peat alternatives as a means of reducing peat usage. We are actively engaged in grower trials in all markets with regard to the partial substitution of peat with suitable alternatives.

Recognising that, as yet, there is no single product available in suitable quantities which meets the stringent criteria of peat for growing media use, the company currently use and promote a number of natural or re-cycled materials as peat alternatives for specific uses.

Being aware of our customers' requirements for quality, efficiacy, consistency and safety, no peat alternatives will be used as a substitute without full evaluation, microbiological analysis (human and plant pathogens) and/or prior customer consent.