The term "invasive species" may not sound very threatening, but these invaders, both large and small, can and do have devastating effects on wildlife and communities across the world.

Invasive species are one of the most threatening problems to native wildlife, with approximately 42% of endangered species at risk as a result of invasive species. Endangered species aren't the only things that are at risk due to invasive species, however, with economies and human health also susceptible to feel the effects. The impact that invasive species have on our natural ecosystems and economy cost billions each and every year, with many of our recreational, agricultural and commercial activities heavily reliant on healthy native ecosystems. 

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If you have spotted Japanese knotweed on or near your property and are wondering if you need a licence to remove it – in short, no you don't.

The legal standing surrounding Japanese knotweed across the UK varies. In England and Wales, the primary legislation relating to knotweed is ‘Section 14(2) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981’. In Scotland, this is still the predominant piece of legislation but in effect has been superseded by the changes which came into force with the ‘Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2012’. The law surrounding the management and control of knotweed across the UK, however, is practically the same.

Japanese knotweed is categorised as an invasive species, and it is the responsibility of the owner of the land where it appears to prevent it from spreading into neighbouring properties or into the wild. The removal of Japanese knotweed must also be performed with extreme due care and attention due to the sensitivity regarding its ability to spread. Currently, there is no legal obligation to remove or treat knotweed, just as long as you’re not encouraging or allow it to grow.

Guidelines set out by the government state that anyone wanting to use chemicals to treat an infestation of knotweed must do the some or all of 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, for example, sites of special scientific interest
  
  
• Get permission from the Environment Agency if the plants are near water

The use of pesticides and chemicals in treating Japanese knotweed is governed by ‘The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986’ and required any person who uses a pesticide to take all reasonable precautions to protect the health of human beings, creatures and plants. Once knotweed has been treated with chemicals, it will have to be disposed of in the correct way. Off-site disposals fall under the ‘Environmental Protection Act 1990’, which states disposing of Japanese knotweed must be conducted by a licensed waste carrier as stated in ‘Waste Regulations 2011’ and disposed of within a licensed facility. Relevant transfer notes must be completed and stored. If knotweed has not been treated before off-side disposal and simply removed, then it is not classed as hazardous waste. If certain pesticides have been used, however, then the waste moves into the hazardous category requiring a consignment note as set out in the ‘Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005’.

In 2013, the UK government stated that any person that fails to control Japanese knotweed along with other invasive weed could receive an anti-social behaviour order. On-the-spot fines of £100 can also be issued, potentially rising to £2500 if prosecuted. Companies also face fines of up to £20,000 if prosecuted

Professional Knotweed Removal

It is highly recommended that, if you have Japanese knotweed on or near your property, you use experienced professionals who know what they’re doing. If not, you risk allowing the knotweed’s rhizomes spreading even further, causing not only potential increases in damage later on in time but prosecution for facilitating the spread of knotweed. So, to avoid any of these issues, be sure to get in touch with the team here at Total Weed Control! Our Japanese knotweed specialist can identify and confirm the presence of knotweed on your property and devise a relevant plan of removal to ensure it is properly eradicated. You can learn more about our knotweed removal services below.

Japanese Knotweed Removal >

If you have any questions regarding our Japanese knotweed treatment or removal, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us today!

With so many types of weed killer available on the market, it can become quite confusing when comes a time when you have to pick the right one. A range and variety of herbicides will more than likely have you scratching your head whilst looking at a wall of products standing in aisle six. To make things a little easier for you, we try to break down the main types of weed killer that you can buy, their characteristics and when they are suitable to use.

The types of weed killer include contact, systemic, residual, selective and non-selective. It’s important to note that before buying any type of weed killer, selecting and using the wrong type on your lawn or affected area can cause serious harm. Also, the most popular herbicide, ‘Roundup’, is a contact, systemic and non-selective weed killer.

Contact Weed Killers

As its name suggests, this type of weed killer kills weeds as soon as they come into contact with it. Here, the herbicide is consumed by the stomata (tiny openings) of the plant’s leaf. However, in order for the weed killer to be effective, the stomata need to be open. These are only open when the plant is actively growing and throughout the day whilst the process of photosynthesis is taking place. Therefore, contact weed killers need to be applied to the target plants during the growing season, to green, living foliage and early in the day. This gives the herbicide the whole duration of the day to work its way into the stomata.

Contact weed killers are used by many homeowners and lawn care enthusiasts as they have no impact on the garden soil surrounding the target plants. A popular type of contact herbicide is glyphosate, when applied, becomes locked inside soil particles, making it unavailable to plant root, resulting in it becoming redundant in the soil. Contact weed killers take approximately two weeks to take full effect and are a superb choice for tackling and controlling annual weeds. To manage perennial weeds, however, two or maybe three applications of contact herbicide are required.

Systemic Weed Killers

The majority of herbicides fall under the category of systemic weed killers. This means that on entry into the plant, the herbicide works its way through the plant’s transport system to target and kill all of its areas. An example of a systemic week killer in action would see it entering a plant through its foliage and working its way all the way down the plant until it reaches the roots, where it eventually kills the weed completely.

Residual Weed Killers

These type of weed killers are also referred to as soil acting weed killers. Careful consideration must be taken when selecting and using these herbicides as their application will poison the soil surrounding the target plant, rendering it inactive and useless for growing any further plants, weeds or flowers. The majority of residual weed killers sit in the soil for months, preventing any form of growth from taking place. However, lesser plants such as algae and lichens are not affected by these herbicides. The ideal areas to use residual week killers are hard-standing areas such as paths, driveways and patios and not areas where you may grow plants or vegetables in the near future.

Selective Weed Killers

These herbicides work to kill a particular plant whilst leaving surrounding soil and plants unharmed. For example, certain selective weed killers aim to only target broad-leaved plants such as buttercup, dandelion and daisy, whilst having zero effect on narrow-leaved plants such as grass. As the two types of plants are two early evolutionary divisions within the plant kingdom, they have two very different vascular and transport systems. Meaning selective herbicides can be created to target one of these two plant types.

Non-Selective Weed Killers

As you may have already guessed, non-selective weed killers are herbicides which work to kill everything that they come into contact with, similar to contact weed killers. Unlike contact herbicides, however, non-selective weed killers will kill or severely damage any and every plant that they touch. It is therefore extremely important to take extra care when using and applying this type of herbicide. Be sure to never spray during windy conditions, never walk over areas that may have been sprayed previously, cover plants that are near the target weed and handle chemicals and knapsacks sprayers with care.

Here at Total Weed Control, you’ll be glad to hear that we use appropriate weed killers whenever necessary. Matching both the weed type and the result that you’re looking to get. Our team of weed control specialists have years of training and experience in the use and application of herbicides, so you can rest assured knowing that your lawn or effected area will be in safe, professional hands.

To learn more about our weed control services, simply click below. You can also get in touch with a member of our team if you would like to enquire about weed control treatment on your property.

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Japanese knotweed is one of the most - if not the most - invasive plant in Britain. As its name suggests, Japanese knotweed is native to Japan, where it is known as “itadori”. One interpretation of this name is ‘remove pain’ which alludes to the plant’s painkilling properties and use in various medicines to treat a variety of ailments ranging from cardiovascular diseases, fungal infections and skin inflammations.

Knotweed can also be found in other parts of Asia, such as China, Taiwan, and areas of Korea. In Japan, knotweed grows freely on mountainsides, volcanoes, and open spaces, which is a little different compared to the UK. In Japan, knotweed has natural predators that come in the form of invertebrates, fungi, ash deposits from volcanoes, and an erratic climate. In Britain, however, there are no natural predators to limit the spread of knotweed.

The history of Japanese knotweed is not as simple as you may think. How did it get here in the first place? Why did it spread so vigorously? And why is it such a problem today? 

In this blog post, we take a deep dive into the history of Japanese knotweed to find some answers to the many questions surrounding this pesky plant.

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A Welsh council’s decision to continue using a weed killer that has been linked causing cancer has been described as a ‘kick in the teeth for residents’.  

Torfaen council has decided to continue their use of a glyphosate-based weed killer on the invasive Japanese knotweed in a meeting this week, whilst continuing to monitor alternatives that are being developed. A motion to halt the use of the product and one to limit its use to preventing Japanese knotweed were both rejected before councillors voted to continue to continue using the glyphosate-based product.

A protest was organised out the council chamber in Pontypool ahead of the meeting, with campaigners urging council members not to vote for its continued use. In addition, around 700 people have signed a petition titled ‘stop spraying our towns with probable cancer-causing glyphosate’, which was presented to the council last year.

Councillor Fiona Cross who is a cabinet member for the environment said that there could be a ‘detrimental effect’ on the appearance of the county borough as well as structural issues if they were to stop using the weed killer without having a suitable alternative in place.

She also pointed out that the authority uses a low concentration substance which is endorsed by both the Welsh Government and European Union. Council leader Anthony Hunt backed up the previous statements saying the council must take a pragmatic approach but added that if a ‘better alternative’ was to become available, then the council ‘should look to use that.’

Independent councillor David Thomas, on the other hand, stated that the council should not take ‘unnecessary risks’ by using the weed killer and called for it to be scrapped. Councillor Elizabeth Haynes put forward a motion for the authority to stop using the product but an amended version was voted down. A second motion was proposed by Conservative councillor Huw Bevan, which called for the council to continue using the weed killer but not in ‘high public footfall’ areas.

Cllr Bevan said he understood there is ‘no other effective treatment’ for the invasive weed, but called for the authority to further limit the product’s use elsewhere. This motion was also rejected.

Campaigner Terry Banfield said the decision is a “total kick in the teeth for residents.”

Professional Knotweed Removal

Here at Total Weed Control, we provide professional knotweed removal services that eradicate the presence of Japanese knotweed from your premises. Depending on the severity of your infestation, we offer two types of treatment plans; herbicide application programmes or excavation and removal programmes – both of which are conducted in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way. Click below to learn more.

Our Knotweed Treatments >

For more information on our professional knotweed services, be sure to get in touch with a member of the Total Weed Control team today!