Chemical-Free Revolution in Japanese Knotweed Eradication – Exclusive Interview With Alan Hoey
Ex-military intelligence, Alan leads from the front as Managing Director of the Japanese Knotweed Agency, the UK’s Leading Authority on its number one invasive weed. An innovative industry disruptor, he was the first in the UK to adopt thermo-electric technology for chemical-free invasive weed removal and has positioned JKWA at the forefront of sustainable Japanese Knotweed eradication. But there's a lot more to Alan than the eyes can see.
Alan Hoey, Chemical-Free Invasive Weed Eradicators
Could you start by telling us a bit about yourself and what you’re passionate about?
I’m Alan Hoey, Dad to Nick and his wife Charlie and my two granddaughters, Beatrice Ophelia, almost 3, and Felicity Juliette, just 3 months old; and doggy Dad to Bella the Chow Chow. I have been Managing Director of the Japanese Knotweed Agency since 2018, and I’ve spent my career at the intersection of environmental protection, property safeguarding, and industry reform. At age 18, I joined the Royal Air Force Police, Intelligence & Security Squadron, and from there I moved into legal services for 20 years before taking up my two current roles looking after two national companies. I’m passionate about finding solutions that work not just for today, but for the future, solutions that protect homes, land, biodiversity, and most importantly, public health, without leaving a toxic legacy.
For me, Japanese knotweed isn’t just a plant problem, it’s a public awareness problem. Too many property owners either don’t know the risks or have been given misleading information. And too often, the “solution” has been to spray glyphosate year after year, leaving chemicals in our soil and waterways without truly eradicating the issue, one big mess and false economy.
My passion is in creating and championing chemical‑free, scientifically proven methods, particularly our thermo‑electric treatment, which kills knotweed and other invasive weeds right at the root without harming surrounding ecosystems. This isn’t just about removing a plant; it’s about restoring balance, protecting property values, and doing it in a way that future generations will thank us for.
What motivated you to get into your current line of work, and what was your journey like in the early days?
My journey started with seeing firsthand the devastation knotweed causes to homes, businesses, and the natural environment. I worked with property owners who were losing significant value on their homes, not because of structural damage, but because the presence of knotweed scared landers, buyers, and insurers away.
In the early days, the industry was dominated by one narrative: chemical control. But I could see the limitations. Spraying herbicide might stunt the plant’s growth for a season or put it into short-term dormancy, but it wasn’t delivering the permanent results people were promised. Worse, it was introducing harmful chemicals into sensitive habitats, school grounds, and water catchment areas. And then you realise glyphosate is literally everywhere and in every single person on earth, it even passes from a pregnant mum to the unborn child. And in the last 10 years, independent researchers, scientists, and doctors are more and more linking glyphosate to ADHD, Autism, Cancers and Tumours, Parkinson's Disease and Dementia, 6 conditions which are growing rapidly and more linked to our environment than our genes.
It is likely glyphosate will be banned in the UK in December 2025, and most believe it will leave behind it a deadly 50‑year legacy. It is time to reduce all chemicals across many sectors, from agriculture and landscaping to invasive species control, and embrace proven, environmentally safe alternatives. The damage from decades of herbicide reliance is already evident in our soils, waterways, and wildlife populations. If we want to protect biodiversity, safeguard public health, and leave a cleaner, healthier environment for future generations, the shift away from harmful chemicals must start now.
I began researching alternative solutions, which led to investing in thermo‑electric eradication technology. This uses targeted heat to destroy the plant’s regenerative tissues, effectively boiling the weed inside out, damaging its cell structure permanently. We trialled it in some of the UK’s most challenging sites: water filtration plants, organic farms, and conservation areas. The results were game‑changing.
From there, the Japanese Knotweed Agency grew into a national authority, providing independent surveys, litigation support, and environmentally responsible treatment plans for Japanese Knotweed, recording formal Case Studies and also running formally recorded tests on how thermo-electric works on other invasive weed species.
What makes your approach or business unique?
We are 100% chemical-free.
We are one of the few agencies that are completely independent, meaning we don’t push one-size-fits-all treatment packages. We start with a full survey, risk mapping, and if needed, a Japanese Knotweed National Register check to identify historic infestations in the area. We hold some 80,000+ records. Then we create a treatment plan that suits the site, its use, and its ecological sensitivities, and ensure the client understands how they are contributing to a chemical-free environment, whilst choosing a superior process of eradication.
Our biggest differentiator is our commitment to chemical-free eradication. Thermo‑electric treatment isn’t a one-time solution, it does require ongoing visits until the knotweed is gone forever, but well within our 5 or 10 year guarantee period, and most important, thermo-electric is safe for use around children, pets, and wildlife, and avoids the soil contamination and damage to microorganisms in the soil, and insects and bees are 100% safe, the same can never be said with chemical treatments and any solution linked to herbicides.
We also stand at the intersection of property and ecology, helping protect both home values and biodiversity. Whether it’s a homeowner, housing association, water company, or environmental trust, our clients know they’re getting a solution that is chemical-free, effective, ethical, and future‑proof.
Has it been an easy task to roll out this new technology for killing invasive weeds?
Not at all. In fact, we were the first company in the UK to introduce thermo‑electric technology as a chemical‑free solution for killing invasive weeds like Japanese knotweed, on a commercial service. When we heard the King had purchased the same technology for use on the Royal estates, we had to look at it and found it had been used across Europe for decades, but never in the UK. When you’re the first, you face two big challenges: proving the science works in real‑world conditions, and overcoming decades of industry reliance on herbicides like glyphosate.
We had to run extensive field trials in some of the most challenging environments, including water treatment plants, organic farms, conservation areas, and residential properties, to demonstrate that our method was not only effective but also safe, a better solution, and permanent. There is a lot of scepticism at first when people learn about it. Many people had been told “the only way” was chemical control, and changing that mindset takes time, evidence, and persistence, and is a never-ending story.
It’s also been a challenge to build awareness among decision‑makers. Local authorities, housing associations, and contractors are used to ticking the “glyphosate” box, even though it often means years and years of repeat spraying. Our technology delivers results without poisoning soil or waterways, but getting that message out there requires education, trust‑building, and sometimes even going head‑to‑head with outdated procurement frameworks.
The truth is, pioneering a new approach is never easy. But we’ve seen the results, and we’ve seen the relief on property owners’ faces when they realise the knotweed is going or gone without a single drop of harmful chemical. That makes every challenge worth it.
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