Contractors sought to eradicate knotweed and other invasive plants in Cork

A €100,000 tender for the treatment of invasive plant species has been issued by Cork City Council.

The local authority is seeking a contractor for the management, control and eradication of Invasive Alien Plant Species (IAPS) up to 2021.

The contract tender outlines that the contractor will treat the IPAS in the most appropriate manner which may involve the use of herbicides or mechanical removal.

Herbicides supplied by the contractor must be identified to and approved by the Cork City Council and record sheets will have to be completed for each infestation site treated detailing the species of weed treated, area of weed treated, co-ordinates of the species, and the amount of herbicide used.

City Hall has identified Japanese knotweed, Nuttall’s waterweed and Himalayan balsam as being the highest risk species in the city.

Giant Hogweed, Winter Heliptrope, Traveller’s Joy, Butterfly Bush and Giant Rhubarb are also identified as plant species that should be treated in the city.

The contract tender comes as the Green Party seeks to get the council to cut down on its use of glysophate weedkiller.

Councillor Lorna Bogue will submit a motion to the council in September asking that the chemical will not be used for general maintenance of green areas and its use in the eradication of Japanese knotweed be reduced.

The herbicide has been the subject of a number of litigation proceedings abroad regarding glyphosate-based weedkillers and their contribution to the development of cancer.

The chemical is used extensively in Ireland for maintaining public spaces and in food production. Irish officials have backed measures to extend licensing for the chemical until 2022 but this is under review by the EU and it is likely to be banned in the coming years.