Who Can Remove Japanese Knotweed?

Removing Japanese knotweed is not a task that should be undertaken lightly. Japanese knotweed is a fierce and unrelenting invasive species that can re-emerge from tiny particles left in the soil. For that reason, it's important that you only employ trained Japanese knotweed technicians to treat your infestation. Working with the right people, who will do a good job of killing and removing Japanese knotweed will save you time, money and heartache.

Who is responsible for treating Japanese knotweed?

The primary legislation for Japanese knotweed is 'section 14(2) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981’. This states that the person who owns the land with the Japanese knotweed infestation is responsible for preventing the spread onto neighbouring lands. It's not actually a legal obligation for you to remove the offending knotweed, however, left untreated, it will no doubt cause problems for you and neighbours later down the line. The best course of action is to have Japanese knotweed treated and removed professionally as soon as you identify it!

What's involved when treating Japanese knotweed?

Japanese knotweed can be treated in a few different ways. Most often, it's sprayed with a mixture of specialist chemicals which kills the plant above ground and the roots below ground. Then, the soil is excavated to remove any trace of knotweed.

Guidelines set out by the government suggest that anyone wanting to use specialist chemicals to treat Japanese knotweed must do the following:

• Make sure anyone spraying holds a certificate of competence for herbicide use or works under the direct supervision of a certificate holder.

• Carry out a Control of Substances Hazardous to Health assessment.

• Get permission from Natural England if the area is protected.

• Get permission from the Environment Agency if the plants are near water.

Choose companies with accreditations

If you're not sure who can remove Japanese knotweed and who can't, we'd recommend getting in touch with a professional Japanese knotweed removal company (like ourselves). Companies that specialise in Japanese knotweed removal are likely to have a number of accreditations that show they are competent in handling & removing this invasive species. 

Here at Taylor Total Weed Control, we have a number of Japanese knotweed accreditations including:

• PCA certification - which shows we follow strict standards and offer a high level of technical knowledge and skills.

• Environmental Agency - we work alongside the environmental agency to ensure that all of our 'land waste' is disposed of properly.

Take a look at our full list of accreditations here.

Professional knotweed removal service

Looking for professional Japanese knotweed removal? Look no further. We have a team of technicians who can all remove Japanese knotweed efficiently. We've been dealing with Japanese knotweed across South Wales and South West England for several years, so we're sure we can tackle your infestation. Don't waste your time with cowboy knotweed removers, stick to people who can remove Japanese knotweed properly.

Japanese Knotweed Removal >

If you have any questions about our Japanese knotweed services, or if you'd like to book a consultation, give us a call on 029 2039 7554. We look forward to hearing from you!

Read More: Do You Need a Licence to Remove Japanese Knotweed?