Weed Control - Landfill
Ecopro have taken control of an old problem with Ragwort on our site and the results are extremely encouraging for the future
Ecopro are industry leaders in providing solutions to control the spread of Common Ragwort and other invasive and injurious weeds.
It is estimated that over 85% of landfill sites have Common Ragwort growing on the haul roads, and restored areas. On ladfill sites this plant, which grows strongly in the poorest of soils, is rapidly becoming an epidemic which must be contained.
Often landfill sites are prone to invasion of other weeds too, including Japanese Knot Weed. The action required of the landowner depends on the type of weed found and on the situation. Injurious weeds such as Ragwort and Japanese knot weed should be controlled or land occupiers could be subject to prosecution.
Ragwort- Know the Facts
Over 90% of complaints that Defra receives about injurious weeds concern Ragwort.
Often there is much confusion surrounding controlling Common Ragwort.
Actually, there are 4 types of Ragwort found in the UK. However, not all types need to be controlled. However, Common Ragwort (Senicio Jacobaea) is fatally poisonous if ingested by grazing animals. The plant contains alkaloids which are poisonous to horses, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs and even humans. When found as a threat, this type of Ragwort must be removed and the growth of further plants must be controlled.
If Common Ragwort is not contained, the plant can grow and spread at a rapid rate. Each plant produces up to 150, 000 seeds per plant. Each seed can lay dormant for up to 20 years. The results can be of epic proportion.
Whilst it is not illeagal to have Common Ragwort on your land, if it begins to spread onto neighboring land the landowner can be prosecuted, under the 1959 Weeds Act.
Ragwort problems can grow from a few small rosettes
to an uncontrollable field.
A small rosette can soon become out of control and result in epic proportions of spread.
If a ragwort treatment programme is not put into place the problems can become phenomenal, if left untreated, areas of yellow flowering Ragwort could potentially produce at least 10,000 new plants the following year. The germination rate for new plants is 70%.
Gain Control- Removing Ragwort
Pulling or cutting the plant are recognised methods, but to pull or cut ragwort as a control method across large areas of land is a time consuming, laborious and thankless task.
- Pulling- Roots of Ragwort can grow deep into the ground. Every last piece of the root must be pulled from the ground or else small root parts will grow back into a full plant.
- Cutting- Landowners will discover that cutting the plant will become an infinite task. Each ragwort plant must go through a 2yr cycle in which it naturally seeds. Denying the plant the opportunity to go through the seeding process will encourage the plant to grow back stronger and more determined. Care must be taken to remove all dead plants as these are palatable to horses and ponies and will poison just as a fresh plant would.
Treating Ragwort with Herbicides
The most effective long term solution to controlling ragwort is to treat the plant with a herbicide. EcoPro are leading experts in the waste management industry, and with our exclusive hebicide and spot treatment method a ragwort problem can soon be contained. Treating ragwort need not be an issue.
Japanese Knot Weed
Japanese Knotweed is a non native plant that is damaging to country side and property. Because it is not native, pests and diseases that control it naturally in Japan are not present in the UK, meaning it grows far larger and stronger than it would in Japan. It is a highly invasive weed. Responsible landfill owners need to be pro-active towards controlling knotweed.
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
Listed under Schedule 9, Section 14 of the Act, it is an offence to plant or otherwise cause the species to grow in the wild.
Japanese Knotweed - the Problems and Damage
- Without control this plant can grow to epic proportions.
- Plants can grow up to 10ft tall (3 metres)
- Japanese Knotweed causes damage to paving and concrete
- Damage is caused to walls and buildings.
- As little as 0.7g of rhizome, a piece the size of your little finger nail, can grow into a new plant.
- Fresh stem material regenerates readily in a soil or water medium.
- Landowners can be prosecuted.
Recognise Japanese Knotweed:
- White Flowers
- Tall canes, reaching up to 10ft (3 metres)
- Red Purple shoots
- Purple speckling on canes
Weed Control -
Providing the Solutions to invasive and Injuious Weeds
EcoPro have all the solutions to your ragwort and knotweed problems.
First action- request a free on site survey to identify the threat invasive and injurious weeds.
Use a professional service such as Ecopro to ensure that the problem is dealt with in the correct manner and that all plants are destroyed and removed legally
EcoPro are the are leading experts in the Waste Management Industry for Ragwort Control
Call or email to arrange a free site survey to assess potential risk of ragwort