The Law – Northern Ireland

Japanese Knotweed is listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 and it is therefore… ‘an offence to plant or otherwise cause it to grow in the wild.’ The current Environment Heritage Service policy on disposal of Japanese Knotweed material and contaminated soils follows the Environment Agency guidelines and thereby places a duty of care on all waste producers to ensure Japanese Knotweed is disposed of at a licensed landfill site and that the site operator is notified. There is also a duty of care to prevent spread to adjacent land or by failing to dispose of Japanese Knotweed by following the correct guidelines. Remember not all licensed landfill sites will receive Japanese Knotweed waste.

The Law - Republic of Ireland

At present there are no specific legislative provisions that directly govern Japanese Knotweed control or removal in the Republic of Ireland. However the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000 states that…. ‘anyone who plants or otherwise causes to grow in the wild – in any place in the State any species of (exotic) flora, or the flowers, roots, seeds or spores of (exotic) flora shall be guilty of an offence.’