Please do not to put any Japanese
Knotweed in your garden waste recycling bins as we cannot risk
contaminating the compost produced from the garden and
food waste we collect.
The waste treatment facility at Parham that turns all our garden
and food waste into compost, cannot accept Japanese Knotweed as the
process may not completely kill off this highly resistant plant. We
therefore have to insist that people do not put any of this
offending plant in their brown bins.
What is Japanese Knotweed?
Japanese Knotweed was introduced to the UK as an ornamental
plant during the 1800s. It is commonly found today along railway
lines, riverbanks, roads and footpaths, in graveyards, on derelict
sites or anywhere that it has been dumped, dropped or
deposited.
Although Japanese Knotweed is not toxic to humans, animals or
other plants, it is very invasive and may cause structural damage
to buildings, paving or roads. The plant grows pretty much
anywhere, from field edges to sand dunes, through asphalt and out
of lamp-posts, and has grown spectacularly across the country even
though it has no seeds and grows only by pieces of the plant or
root system being transferred.
Japanese Knotweed forms dense clumps up to three metres in
height. It has large, oval green leaves and a stem that is hollow
and similar to bamboo. Usually in early spring (although it can be
later in the year) the plant produces fleshy red tinged shoots.
These can reach a height of 1.5 metres by May and three metres by
June.
This plant can grow as much as 2 cms per day and will grow in
any type of soil, no matter how poor. Towards the end of August
clusters of cream flowers develop and then produce seeds that are
sterile. The plant dies back between September and November.
Control of Japanese
Knotweed
The best advice on how to deal with the plant is to use
herbicides or to dig it out but to be very careful to ensure that
all its roots are removed. These roots may go to a depth of over 3
metres once the plant is established so it is best tackled as soon
as it is seen. Further advice can be found on the following
websites:
There is no obligation on landowners to control the plants, but
there are enforcement powers available to local authorities and the
police, under section 14 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act,
where there is evidence that it has been deliberately planted or
allowed to spread into the wild.
Disposal of
Japanese Knotweed
Advice about disposal of invasive weeds like Japanese
Knotweed and contaminated soil is available on the
NetRegs website (new window).
Japanese Knotweed can be taken from a household garden to the
household waste recycling centres (new
window) at Foxhall, Felixstowe or Leiston, for disposal
free of charge, if it is double bagged and placed in the skip
for general waste.
For further advice you can call Suffolk Coastal Services on
01394 444000 or email
scsltd@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk