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Himalayan Balsam

Mortgage companies will not issue a mortgage on properties which are known to have knotweed. If you want to build on land where it grows the soil you remove for your ground works is classed as contaminated toxic waste and will cost you an arm and a leg to dispose of. Burning or strong chemicals are the only way to get rid of it.
 
£13 per tonne to be exact Ade, plus landfill tax of course. Its not classed as toxic though, just contaminated soil.
 
Tony Rocca said:
£13 per tonne to be exact Ade, plus landfill tax of course. Its not classed as toxic though, just contaminated soil.
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That's allot less than I was quoted when I was looking at a project Tony, I can't remember the exact figure as it was a couple of years ago but it ran into thousands and was a deal breaker on that particular project. Looks like I will have to be allot more choosy with my contractors in future.
 
Thats just the cost to tip it Ade, you have to dig it and transport it too. Usually 2 tonne to the m3 so it soon mounts up. Also if less than 5% knotweed per load its £2.50 per tonne landfill tax, if over 5% knotweed its £48 per tonne tax. Only the "specialist" knotweed boys know the rules properly and how to keep the cost down.
It pays to shop around. :)
 
The Wandle Trust are planning a big pull up of Himalayan Balsalm soon...Wandle
-Trust

To be honest, unless it is followed up by regular attacks, I can't see it being very effective though!!
 
On the subject of removing soil contaminated by Japanese knotweed, if the plant is well established,i.e. if the plant has substantial rhizome growth, then the soil may have to be removed to a depth of 6 mtrs. Japanese knotweed has regularly been known to put rhizomes (roots) down to this depth. As you only need to leave about 1cm or maybe a little less of live plant material on site for it to re-establish itself you will understand mechanical removal is both risky and expensive.

Chemical treatment is generally a cheaper alternative but not always a quick fix. Some very well established sites I am currently working on, I have been treating for over 6 years without eradicating it yet. One site treated showed no sign of knotweed regrowth for 3 years and then up it popped again.

One Welsh town council undertook a programme of knotweed treatment over 5 years. Using state of the art programming, treating and monitoring that cost over £5 million and at the end of the project they had 40% more knotweed than they started with :eek:.

Mic
 
i read somewhere that someone was refused a mortgage on the grounds that they had knotweed near their garden!!!
 
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