Can people be forced to get rid of it?

Invasive non-native plants are not 'notifiable'. This means that they cannot be dealt with by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) under the Weeds Act.

However, Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed are listed in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This means that it is illegal to plant or cause these plants to grow in the wild in Great Britain. Also the waste from many non-native plants is controlled by law and so certain regulations have to be complied with when disposing of such material.