🔗 Share this article

Two individuals have been detained as a component of an probe into the dumping of thousands of metric tons of refuse in a field in Oxfordshire.

Law enforcement reported that a 69-year-old was arrested at a property in the town of Andover, while a man in his fifties was taken into custody in Slough, Berkshire in association with the massive pile of waste tipped near the area of Kidlington.

These detentions come after a previous investigation which uncovered the presence of over 500 unlawful dumps across the country of England, featuring at minimum 11 so-called "large-scale sites" larger than 20,000 tons.

A representative for the environment authorities commented that the apprehensions were for ecological and proceeds of crime offences and represented a "key step" in ongoing investigations. The two individuals have been set free on bail.

Magnitude of the Situation

The illegal site in the Kidlington area, situated between the river Cherwell and the A34 road, is thought to contain around 21,000 tonnes of rubbish in a pile which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) tall.

This pile of waste is consists of what appears to be sorted residential refuse, shredded plastic items, Styrofoam, automobile tires and various household items.

It is just a single of 517 illegal sites throughout England, at minimum 11 of which hold over 20,000 tons of waste. They encompass a 280,000-tonne location in the county of Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent.

The actual figure of such major sites is expected to be higher, as the regulatory authority has in the past indicated it does not hold data on tonnage for each illegal dump.

Most such locations are in rural areas, typically hidden, and on land that should be agricultural property.

Criminal Enterprise

Law enforcement report many are run by criminal organizations, who are making cash by charging much less than legitimate firms to accept and dispose of rubbish.

Companies have to incur gate fees to use legitimate landfill sites, contingent on the volume and category of refuse they are trying to discard, and landfill tax is also charged at just over £126 per tonne.

Public Anger

Preparatory efforts to clear the Kidlington area site started in recent weeks due to concerns over the threat of fire and the impact that would have on the adjacent A-road.

A contracted waste clearance firm has been awarded the contract to handle the location over the coming 12 months period at a price of £9.6m.

An compliance officer for the national environment unit commented that the body would be aiming to recoup the clearance funds under proceeds of crime acts from any individual found guilty at the termination of its current investigation.

She further stated that this week's apprehensions would help "move the investigation forward" and allow officials to "pursue more leads to determine in detail what transpired and who was implicated".

"This illegal dump at this location was an appalling and deliberate assault on our environment and officials empathize with the public's outrage at this egregious crime," she said.

A government representative praised the arrests, commenting: "The unauthorized tipping of rubbish at Kidlington is utterly appalling and has resulted in considerable damage to the environment and upset to the surrounding community.

"The administration is committed to eradicating this kind of illegal activity throughout the UK, by boosting resources to combat waste crime, recruiting more officers and implementing tougher checks and sanctions for those who flout the rules."

The apprehensions were made on a recent Thursday by personnel from a regional organised crime unit and are in addition to an prior detention of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area area in November. He was let go pending additional inquiries.