🔗 Share this article

Two men have been taken into custody as part of an inquiry into the illegal deposit of several thousand of tonnes of refuse in a rural field in the county of Oxfordshire.

Officials stated that a man in his late sixties was arrested at a dwelling in Hampshire's Andover, while a man in his fifties was arrested in Slough, Berkshire in relation with the massive mound of rubbish deposited near Kidlington.

These arrests follow a previous investigation which uncovered the presence of over 500 illegal tips in England, featuring at a minimum of 11 so-called "major sites" bigger than 20,000 tons.

A representative for the environmental authorities stated that the apprehensions were for environmental and money laundering offences and represented a "key step" in continuing probes. The two individuals have been let go on bail.

Magnitude of the Problem

The tipping ground in near Kidlington, situated between the Cherwell River and the A34 road, is thought to house approximately 21,000 tonnes of waste in a mound which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) tall.

This mound of garbage is made up of what seems to be processed domestic refuse, shredded plastics, expanded polystyrene, tyres and other everyday objects.

It constitutes just a single of 517 illegal sites across the country, at least 11 of which contain in excess of 20,000 metric tons of garbage. They encompass a 280,000-tonne site in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne locations in Lancashire county and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne site in Kent.

The total figure of such bigger dumps is probably to be higher, as the regulatory body has previously stated it does not maintain information on weight for every unauthorized tip.

A large proportion of these sites are in agricultural areas, typically concealed, and on land that is intended to be arable ground.

Criminal Enterprise

Authorities report numerous are managed by criminal organizations, who are earning money by demanding far less than lawful companies to accept and dispose of rubbish.

Companies have to pay site fees to use legitimate waste facilities, contingent on the volume and category of refuse they are trying to dispose of, and landfill tax is also levied at just over £126 per metric ton.

Public Outrage

Initial operations to clear the affected dump began in recent weeks amid worries over the potential of blaze and the effect that would have on the adjacent highway.

A commercial waste removal firm has been awarded the job to remediate the site over the coming 12 months at a price of £9.6m.

An investigations official for the country's environment unit said that the agency would be aiming to claim back the clearance costs under confiscation laws from any individual prosecuted at the end of its current case.

She noted that the recent apprehensions would help "move the probe forward" and permit authorities to "investigate more leads to understand exactly what transpired and who was a party to it".

"This unlawful tip at Kidlington was an appalling and calculated assault on our natural surroundings and we understand the local outrage at this terrible crime," she stated.

A cabinet official praised the arrests, stating: "The illegal dumping of rubbish at Kidlington is utterly appalling and has led to significant harm to the natural world and upset to the nearby population.

"Our authorities is pledged to eradicating this type of illegal activity throughout the country, by augmenting funds to combat illegal dumping, employing more personnel and implementing more severe checks and fines for those who violate the regulations."

The arrests were carried out on the specified day by agents from a regional crime team and are in addition to an prior detention of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area in the autumn. He was set free awaiting additional enquiries.