Nestlé Waters  uses innovation in Buxton to care for the environment

Japanese Knotweed has been found at the Cowdale Quarry, a site owned by Nestlé Waters and managed by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust.

However, removing the plant which grows so fast in a wide variety of soil types and can quickly spread from underground roots can be tricky and conventional methods could pollute the water source.

The site is being managed in line with Nestlé Waters’ water stewardship strategy, designed to care for water, promote biodiversity, and help create positive water impact. All land management practices are chemical-free, including removing Japanese Knotweed from the site.

Nestlé Waters is working with a specialist company who use innovative thermo-electric technology to eradicate the plant. The Japanese Knotweed Agency uses 5,000 volts of electricity to the stems, crowns, and root system of the knotweed, destroying its internal cell structure, and making it impossible to grow back.

Hayley Lloyd House, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Nestlé Waters UK said: “We are one of the first few companies in the UK to use the thermo-electric technology to remove Japanese Knotweed from our site at the former Cowdale Quarry.

“Eradicating the knotweed will have a positive impact on biodiversity, allowing native species to thrive on the land.

“It’s where we bottle and source Buxton natural mineral water and Nestlé Pure Life spring water, and we work hard to care for the environment, championing nature-based solutions wherever possible.”