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Controlling Japanese Knotweed – One Of The UK’s Most Invasive Species
While Japanese Knotweed may not sound like it should be a major problem for the construction industry, the BBC reports that £150 million is spent on its control every year and it is actually a criminal offence to grow the plant.
Names as one of the world’s 100 most invasive species by the World Conservation Union, it can cause huge problems for construction sites. Our guide looks at the problems caused by Japanese Knotweed and how our innovative solution can help you tackle the problem. The problems Japanese Knotweed can bring
Introduced into the UK in the early 1800s, Japanese Knotweed can now commonly be found along roads, footpaths and railway lines. The plant forms dense clumps up to three metres high and has large, oval green leaves.
The main problem with Japanese Knotweed, however, is the speed and extent of its growth. It can grow by as much as a metre every month and can grow in any type of soil, however poor. And, beneath any Japanese Knotweed plant you will find an extensive underground root (rhizome) network. This network can extend for several metres around the base of the plant. This invasive root system and strong growth can damage foundations, buildings, architectural sites, paving, retaining walls and roads. It can also reduce the capacity of channels in flood defences to carry water.
Tackling the problem of Japanese Knotweed
There are two main reasons why you may need a proactive solution to the problem of Japanese Knotweed.
Firstly, you may be clearing a site where the plant is present. Here, removing the plant and its extensive root network is the only way to ensure the site is decontaminated. And, of course, you then have to dispose of the plant waste.
Japanese Knotweed is considered ‘controlled waste’ in the UK and therefore polluted spoil should only be placed on top of a fabric or membrane otherwise the plant may well begin to grow again.
Secondly, as the plant’s root network can seriously damage the foundations of buildings, ensuring the ground you are building on is protected from the plant is essential.
To tackle these problems, we came up with our Keytec 295 Japanese Knotweed Liner. This can be used for the encapsulation of soils contaminated with Japanese Knotweed, as well as multiple other uses such as land capping, bio-piles, wildlife barriers, under pavement drainage lining and structural protection below ground as a fully welded system.
Our Japanese Knotweed Liner boasts high puncture and tear resistance making it ideal for the treatment of contaminated soils.
So, if you’re looking for market leading Japanese Knotweed liners, we can help you. Get in touch with us now on (0116) 262 9106 to find out more and to place your order.
Related articles
- Japanese Knotweed Grows Fast! See this Time-Lapse Footage from the BBC (invasiveplantnews.com)
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems: Everything You Need To Know
Over recent years, hard surfaces have replaced green fields as towns and cities have grown. As development has continued, rainwater is increasingly carried to rivers or streams by pipes or gutters rather than soaking into the ground.
This change to the way water drains in the UK has resulted in a number of problems. The Environment Agency is therefore increasingly keen to promote Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) as a way of reducing the environmental impact from surface water drainage.
Keytec are at the forefront of this new approach, and here we explain why current drainage systems are unsustainable and why all developers should consider SUDS.
Why existing drainage systems are unsustainable
There are two main reasons why existing drainage systems are unsustainable.
Firstly, rain falling on residential areas, industrial units and roads is drained to rivers and streams via surface water outfalls. While this water is often considered clean, it actually contains a wide range of pollutants including organic matter, toxic metals and oil. This means that rivers and streams in urban areas are becoming severely contaminated with these pollutants. Secondly, uncontrolled rapid drainage of rain from urban areas significantly increases the risk of flooding from the local watercourses.
Instead of rain soaking into the soil, it is now carried quickly to rivers and streams through pipes, increasing the chances of localised flooding. This also damages the river habitat as well as reducing the water flowing into rivers.
What are the main benefits of SUDS?
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems are comprised of a series of measures designed to reduce the runoff of surface water and to prevent pollution. They provide a range of physical structures which are designed to receive the runoff water and a range of techniques to reduce the environmental impact of water drainage.
For example, sensible development will maximise the use of areas such as parks and gardens and minimise hard paved areas. Where paving is required for drives, car parking and access roads permeable materials can reduce the need to collect runoff water in drains.
In order that SUD Systems can be implemented successfully, developers should consider SUDS at the earliest possible stage as it will affect decisions about the overall layout of the development.
The Environment Agency says that ‘widespread adoption of these techniques in new developments would see a long-term improvement in the quality of our urban rivers and a reduction in the risk of flooding.’
Why you should use Keytec for your Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems
Here at Keytec, we can provide specialist advice and services in order to ensure you meet all your SUDS obligations. Our installation packages include the encapsulation of modular cell systems in geotextile for soakaways or simply the supply of membranes and geotextiles to help with rainwater management.
We also offer the services to supply and install all Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems in line with Building Regulations. We are able to tailor our package to your development requirements supported by the manufacturers’ design services.
For more information on Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems visit us now.
Related articles
- SUDS resources and publications for designers (ewtrial.wordpress.com)
- Getting it right: water management and landscape design (ewtrial.wordpress.com)
How Multi Gas Barriers Can Offer Protection From Radon, Methane and CO2
Finding the right protection against radon, carbon dioxide and methane can be tough. Many solutions will help protect buildings against one or other of the threats whilst other products may be unsuitable for certain types of property.
That’s why we have spent years developing multi gas barriers that offer protection from all three harmful gases. And, our gas membrane installation can not only save you time but also save you money.
Our guide looks at the various dangers of these three gases and how Keytec have developed multi gas barriers that can provide the perfect holistic solution.
The dangers of radon, methane and carbon dioxide
If you’re developing properties on brown field sites or other locations where there may be contaminants in the soil, it’s essential that you tackle these dangers.
Methane is a particularly dangerous gas and is flammable at just 5 to 15 per cent volume in air. The fatal explosion in the valve house at Abbeystead in 1984 was as a result of naturally occurring methane gas and regulations were changed to protect future building projects after this disaster.
Carbon dioxide can also be harmful, as demonstrated by the explosion in Loscoe in 1986. Landfill gas comprising a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide destroyed a property in the Derbyshire village prompting intervention from the government and changes to guidelines regarding protection from these gases.
The production of carbon dioxide and methane in the environment are mainly associated with sewage, coal seams, peat and landfill. This is why it is important that any potential issues with these gases are dealt with on brown field sites or locations where there has been previous mining activity.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that occurs where uranium is found in the rock beneath the surface of the earth. Some evidence of radon gas will occur all across the UK although some areas have higher levels than others.
In most new homes constructed after 1988, builders will have fitted measures to reduce the levels of radon entering a property and these now form part of NHBC and building regulations.
Multi gas barriers from Keytec
We have developed multi gas barriers that offer protection against all three of these harmful gases. Our multi gas barriers offer gas protection against a variety of gases acting as both a carbon dioxide and radon barrier.
The Keytec multi gas barrier consists of self bonding polymer modified bitumen which is covered on one side by a tough multiply cross laminated polythene film and protected on one side by a backing sheet. Our products have the approval of local authority building control, NHBC, the Environment Agency and water companies.
So, if you’re looking for convenient, affordable and high quality gas protection against radon, methane and carbon dioxide, multi gas barriers are the perfect solution.
Related articles
- What illness does radon gas cause (wiki.answers.com)
- Why people are worried of radon in their house (wiki.answers.com)
Who are we, and what do we do?
Keytec Geomembranes with our accumulated knowledge and engineering expertise, coupled with our enthusiasm for problem solving, enables us to provide an efficient and reliable service, responsive to the needs of our clients, as well as creating new ones.
Suppliers and installers to House Builders and Civil Engineering contractors using Gas Barriers, Geomembranes for Lakes, Ponds & Lagoons, Reed Beds, Reservoirs, Structural Waterproofing, Fuel Bund Liners, Japanese Knotweed Liners, SUDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage System), and Accessories.
For more information click here.
