The rational utilization of peat

There are 1,598 mires in Estonia with an area of over 10 ha whose peat reserves are of commercial importance. The thickness of the peat layer is 0.9 m. The area of peat deposits of a commercial potential is 538 thousand ha, their peat reserves are estimated at 2,400 million t. Of this, active reserves account for 1,540 million t, passive reserves for 860 million t. In Estonia peat is mainly used in agriculture, gardening and for the production of fuel peat. In 1992 the production of peat was 2.5 million t. Peat production in the future should be directed towards feasibility and versatility. It is planned to extract peat for fuel from those mires whose layer of peat for bedding has been exhausted. Of the possible future applications of peat, the production of the peat-based plant growth stimulator (about 57 million t) seems promising. The respective technology is not complicated either. The peat reserves for producing peat wax and cotton grass peat are estimated at 1.6 million t. Due attention must be paid to the environmental impact of the peat industry. (author)