Under UK law, Japanese knotweed is classed as "controlled waste", and causing or allowing the plant to spread is illegal. For this reason, putting Japanese knotweed in your garden bin is illegal.
Japanese knotweed is very easy to spread – a rhizome fragment just 1cm can be enough to start the growth of an entire new plant. This can cause trouble when trying to dispose of the weed – if even a small piece is left or drops to the ground, an entire new plant can grow.
Since Japanese knotweed is an invasive species and the spreading of it (whether accidental or intentional) is a crime, its disposal must be handled with the utmost care.
As such, Japanese knotweed cannot be put in the bin, be it green garden waste, black general rubbish, recycling, or compost. You cannot take knotweed to any dump or tip, and you cannot fly-tip.
How to safely dispose of Japanese knotweed
There are a number of different treatments and disposal techniques that can be utilised for the treatment of Japanese knotweed, including burying and burning. If you’d like to read more of the government official advice on the safe disposal of knotweed, check out the link below.
Prevent Knotweed Spreading UK Gov
Since the spreading of Japanese knotweed is a crime, it’s always best to invest in professional knotweed removal services. Trying to handle Japanese knotweed yourself can be an arduous process with no guarantee it’s done correctly first time.
If you think you may have Japanese knotweed on your property, or you know you have but aren’t sure how to start treatment, why not request a FREE survey from Taylor Total Weed Control? One of our knotweed removal and control experts will survey your property and let you know if knotweed is present, suggest the best treatment plan, and give you a quote for how much you might expect to pay. We will also be happy to answer any general questions you may have regarding knotweed or its removal.
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