The Facts on Knotweed
Japanese Knotweed Solutions in London
All About Knotweed
Japanese knotweed is a large, herbaceous perennial plant, native to eastern Asia.
It now appears all over Britain since being introduced as a garden plant from Japan by the Victorians, causing millions of pounds worth of damage.
Japanese Knotweed is undisputably the UK's most destructive, aggressive and invasive plant.
It has been known to survive volcanic eruptions, so busting through your building foundations, patios, concrete and tarmac comes far too easily to this troublesome weed.
The Solutions to Knotweed
Each Knotweed infestation will have its own unique problems. Our assessors will formulate and advise on an optimum plan to suit the situation. This could involve one or a combination of our proven methods: stem injection, soil application, foliar spraying or wiping. On an overgrown site complete clearance followed by chemical treatment of regrowth could be the answer. Waste removed is taken to a licensed incinerator or landfill site for disposal.
At present, there is no product available guaranteed to kill Japanese Knotweed with only a single application. Because it is necessary to kill off all of the plant's extensive rhizome system, Knotweed eradication can take several applications over a prolonged period of time.
Treatment through purely chemical means would take on average, two to three years but occassionally a single treatment will suffice.
The Law on Knotweed
It is an offence to plant or otherwise cause the species to grow in the wild. Japanese Knotweed is classed as 'controlled waste' and as such must be disposed of safely at a licensed landfill site. Soil containing rhizome material can be regarded as contaminated and, if taken off a site, must be disposed of at a suitably licensed landfill site and buried to a depth of at least 5 m.
An offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act can result in a criminal prosecution. An infringement under the Environmental Protection Act can result in enforcement action being taken by the Environment Agency which can result in an unlimited fine. You can also be held liable for costs incurred from the spread of Knotweed into adjacent properties and for the disposal of infested soil off site during development which later leads to the spread of Knotweed onto another site.