🔗 Share this article

A pair of individuals have been detained as part of an probe into the tipping of many thousands of tonnes of rubbish in a open field in Oxfordshire, England.

Law enforcement stated that a 69-year-old was apprehended at a residence in Andover, Hampshire, while a man in his fifties was taken into custody in Slough in connection with the huge heap of rubbish deposited near the area of Kidlington.

These arrests come after a recent revelation which revealed the operation of over 500 unlawful dumps in England, including at a minimum of 11 so-called "super sites" bigger than 20,000 tonnes.

A spokeswoman for the environmental agency stated that the arrests were for environment-related and proceeds of crime violations and constituted a "crucial step" in continuing inquiries. The two individuals have been released on bail.

Magnitude of the Issue

The illegal site in the Kidlington area, positioned between the Cherwell River and the A34, is thought to contain around 21,000 tonnes of rubbish in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) long and 6m (20ft) in height.

This mound of waste is consists of what appears to be sorted domestic rubbish, shredded plastic items, Styrofoam, tires and assorted domestic objects.

It is just a single of 517 illegal dumps in England, at least 11 of which hold in excess of 20,000 tonnes of garbage. Such sites encompass a 280,000-tonne location in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne dump in Kent.

The actual figure of such bigger locations is likely to be larger, as the environmental body has in the past acknowledged it does not hold data on weight for each unlawful dump.

The majority these sites are in countryside locations, frequently concealed, and on land that is intended to be arable ground.

Organized Operations

Authorities report many are managed by organized crime groups, who are making cash by charging much less than licensed operators to accept and dispose of waste.

Companies have to be liable for site fees to use licensed disposal sites, based on the quantity and nature of refuse they are trying to get rid of, and a disposal levy is also charged at just over £126 per ton.

Local Outrage

Preparatory efforts to clear the Kidlington dump started earlier this month following fears over the threat of fire and the impact that would have on the adjacent A-road.

A commercial waste clearance company has been given the job to deal with the site over the coming 12 months at a price of £9.6m.

An investigations manager for the country's environment unit said that the body would be looking to claim back the clearance funds under proceeds of crime legislation from anyone successfully found guilty at the conclusion of its current inquiry.

She further stated that the recent arrests would help "move the inquiry forward" and permit officials to "follow more avenues to ascertain exactly what transpired and who was involved".

"This illegal dump at this location was an appalling and intentional assault on our ecology and we understand the local outrage at this egregious act," she said.

A cabinet minister praised the arrests, adding: "This illegal deposit of garbage at Kidlington is utterly appalling and has led to substantial harm to the environment and upset to the nearby community.

"Our authorities is pledged to eliminating this category of illegal activity throughout the UK, by augmenting resources to tackle environmental crime, hiring more officers and enacting stricter measures and sanctions for those who flout the law."

The detentions were carried out on Thursday by agents from a dedicated crime unit and are in addition to an earlier detention of a man in his thirties from the Guildford area area in November. He was let go awaiting more investigations.