After more than two years of preparation , raise Media Europe ( GME ) announces the publishing of the first sphere - wide Growing Media Environmental Footprint Guideline . Developed in accordance with the European Union LCA criterion “ Product Environmental Footprint ( PEF ) Methodology ” , the guideline combines the shock of 19 pre - defined environmental impact factors into one environmental footmark . The novel LCA standard enables all growing spiritualist producers to direct their product´s environmental impingement using the same calculation rules .
The project was brought to achiever in close coaction with Blonk Consultants and several GME member . “ The guideline is a milestone in valuate the environmental sustainability of growing media across Europe and a vast achievement for the sector ” , says GME chairman Juha Mäkinen . “ It also shows that there is no “ good vs defective ” components for growing medium but that their environmental impact depends on several factors along the output Ernst Boris Chain ” , he added .
Key finding : Peat environmental footmark score are standardised to those of non - peat componentsWhen only considering carbon expelling , the PEF - conform cradle to heavy calculations show a higher score for peat than for other materials . However , the total environmental step of peat is lower than the one of sealed non - peat components . In addition , the carbon footprint of peat is partly set off by the fact that peat is only harvested from antecedently degraded peat bog . Degraded peat bogs emit almost 1.000 tons CO2 per hectare before the groundwater table is reach and emission stop . European growing medium producers press out peat in accordance with the ‘ Responsibly Produced Peat ’ standards . This intend peatlands are restore after extraction and turned into net atomic number 6 sinks again . The return is not excogitate in the PEF - methodology , but the 1.000 short ton of CO2 are release in the atmosphere in any case . If extracted , the harvested peat is transmute into valuable products used to develop food , bloom , and Tree benefitting our surround and high society .
raise media´s contribution to the overall environmental footprint of a plant is minimalWhile the growing medium sphere is constantly investing in lowering its environmental shock , it is significant to keep in mind , that grow media are responsible for for only a very small part of the overall C and environmental footmark of growing a flora . The selection of a growing culture medium should therefore not only be based on the shock of the growing medium itself , but also on its recyclability and the environmental footprint of the plant that is get in it .
The full guidepost can be discover here . The next step in the LCA project is the ontogenesis of a sphere database and an IT tool , that enable users to calculate the environmental footprint of their Cartesian product in accord with the PEF methodological analysis
