Incorrectly discarding rubbish into your green or brown garden bin could lead to fines up to £5,000 or even a criminal record. Jennifer Holmes, from Japanese Knotweed Ltd, cautioned: "It can be easy to think that binning noxious plant material won't be noticed, but in reality, you could get caught by the council.

"Moreover, not having knotweed disposed of under UK legislative rules means you're damaging the environment by creating more infestations – instead of eliminating them."

She further warned: "If you suspect you have knotweed on your property, do not attempt to dig it up yourself. You'll merely be encouraging the plant to spread. It is an illegal act to dispose of it yourself."

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 prohibits planting or causing Japanese knotweed to grow in the wild.

Any individual who allows knotweed to spread could face a fine up to £5,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 2 years. Negligent or reckless disposal of contaminated soil, leading to knotweed spread, is also a violation.

Under Section 46A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, councils hold the power to issue fines of up to £80 if your bin is deemed to cause a nuisance.

This could include leaving it out for too long, blocking the pavement, or placing it in a way that obstructs your neighbours.

Barry Connolly, Head of Environmental Services, previously outlined the stringent measures: "All bins will be visually checked prior to collection and any recycling or garden waste container found to be contaminated will not be emptied.

"A contamination tag will be placed on the bin informing of the non-collection and contamination.

"Subsequent collections will only be made once the contamination has been removed and will only be on the next collection day.

"Contaminants should be removed and placed in an appropriate container for collection."

The TaxPayers' Alliance commented on the issue, expressing frustration: "Taxpayers are fed up with wasting their time sorting through rubbish.

"While wanting to increase recycling may be a noble ambition, these increasingly complex rules and reduced collections risk punishing hard working households who make innocent mistakes.

"Local authorities should focus on providing the services residents pay for, not petty bureaucracy that belongs in the bin."