Amsterdam releases 5,000 leaf fleas to halt Japanese knotweed spread

Government issues exemption to alien species ban in attempt to control destructive plant

Five thousand Japanese leaf fleas have been released in Amsterdam to combat Japanese knotweed, a once celebrated plant the concrete-breaking roots of which now threaten local biodiversity, impinge on water quality and increase the risk of flooding.

The Dutch government made the unprecedented decision to issue an exemption on a ban on the introduction of alien species in the face of spiralling costs related to the invasive species.