The city of Antwerp is running a pilot project using electrocution to combat the Japanese knotweed, an invasive alien plant.
An electricity generator that sends 4,000-volt surges through the plants should affect the stems and roots of the knotweed down to cell level, reserachers say. This is a method of control that respects nature, since other plants and animals in the vicinity are spared.
Japanese knotweed, an invasive plant usually found on river banks, has invaded parks and gardens following the severe floods of 14, 15 and 16 July, local authorities in Chaudfontaine say. The weed's expansion entails environmental risks.
This plant reproduces mainly - and rapidly - by sending out its rhizomes - underground stems. The recent floods have encouraged this dispersal, and the Japanese knotweed is now found in parks and gardens, where young shoots are beginning to appear.
The problem is that this variety produces toxic substances that inhibit the growth of other plant species.
For the moment, the young shoots are still easy to dig up because their roots are not very well developed. However, they grow quickly and green spaces will be invaded within a few months if there is no intervention, says the municipality of Chaudfontaine, which has been confronted with the phenomenon.
Chaudfontaine advises pulling out all the shoots by hand and checking once a week for any new growth. The waste should then be disposed of in bin bags or left to dry in airtight containers. Although this is not yet a main concern, the local authority admits that it could become one in the near future.
