The message
from (jane) contains these words:

~Judging by the amount of perennial weeds that people discard into the
~pile collected at Amersham for shredding, most of the compost will have
~ground elder and every other sort of pernicious weed

I've a patch of ground elder which I nurture lovingly. It makes an
interesting green vegetable and and adds flavours to stews, casseroles
etc.

BUT - don't eat it after it flowers and then go out as it can have
(can't remember which) enuritic or laxative effects. Doesn't have ant
effect me.....

I know what you mean - if I ever get my act together to mail a
question to GQT, it will be if japanese knotweed composts safely in a
council heap, cos I'll bet these central composting centres get that
too.
http://www.compost.me.uk/html/japanese_knotweed.html seems to suggest
it *should* be ok, but then again it may not as we have no way of
knowing if the commerical composter follows the temperature
guidelines.

I admit that this is why I've never bought any of the bags they sell
but if it was like the stuff Monty was digging out, it would probably
be ok. But how does one know if it's well-composted or it's got a
lurking danger? Answers on a postcard...

Well, Japanese knotweed comes in two sexes, and we only have (ATM) the
female variety, and as it isn't self-fertilising, it never sets seeds.

I compost everything I can at home in an enclosed heap except the
perennial weeds which go to the tip: my heap doesn't get hot enough to
kill them. Luckily my worst is bindweed from next door's wilderness.

I compost everything, and my heap is just a layer of weeds, grass,
newspapers, cardboard, tealeaves, kitchen waste and scraps, all of which
will be covered in straw and black plastic over the winter.

--
Rusty Hinge
horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm