Detentions Made in Connection to Supersized Illegal Rubbish Dump

A pair of individuals have been arrested as an element of an inquiry into the illegal deposit of several thousand of tonnes of waste in a rural field in the county of Oxfordshire.

Officials stated that a 69-year-old was arrested at a residence in Hampshire's Andover, while a man in his fifties was detained in Slough, Berkshire in relation with the enormous mound of rubbish deposited near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

These detentions come after a prior report which exposed the operation of in excess of 500 illegal tips throughout the country of England, featuring at a minimum of 11 so-called "major sites" larger than 20,000 tons.

A spokeswoman for the environment authorities said that the apprehensions were for environment-related and money laundering offences and were a "key step" in continuing inquiries. The apprehended men have been let go on conditional release.

Magnitude of the Issue

The tipping ground in near Kidlington, located between the River Cherwell and the A34 road, is believed to contain approximately 21,000 tonnes of waste in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) in height.

This heap of garbage is composed of what seems to be treated residential rubbish, shredded plastic materials, Styrofoam, tires and other household items.

It constitutes just one example of 517 unlawful sites across England, at a minimum of 11 of which contain more than 20,000 tonnes of waste. They include a 280,000-tonne location in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne dump in Kent.

The actual figure of such major dumps is likely to be greater, as the environment authority has in the past indicated it does not hold information on tonnage for all illegal site.

The majority these sites are in rural areas, often hidden, and on land that should be farm land.

Organised Enterprise

Law enforcement report a significant number are run by organised crime gangs, who are earning money by demanding much less than lawful companies to take and bury rubbish.

Companies have to be liable for gate fees to use lawful disposal sites, based on the amount and category of refuse they are trying to get rid of, and a waste tax is also applied at just over £126 per metric ton.

Public Frustration

Preparation work to remove the Kidlington dump began recently amid concerns over the potential of combustion and the effect that would have on the adjacent A-road.

A private waste clearance firm has been given the task to deal with the location over the next 12 months period at a cost of £9.6m.

An investigations official for the country's environmental crime team stated that the agency would be seeking to recoup the clearance expenses under confiscation acts from anyone prosecuted at the termination of its active case.

She further stated that this week's apprehensions would help "move the inquiry forward" and allow officials to "investigate more avenues to determine precisely what happened and who was implicated".

"This unlawful site at the site was an atrocious and deliberate attack on our natural surroundings and we understand the public's outrage at this egregious offence," she stated.

A government representative praised the actions, commenting: "This unlawful tipping of garbage at Kidlington is appalling and has resulted in substantial damage to the environment and upset to the nearby community.

"Our authorities is pledged to stamping out this type of crime in the country, by augmenting financing to tackle illegal dumping, hiring more staff and introducing stricter controls and sanctions for those who flout the law."

The arrests were carried out on a recent Thursday by personnel from a specialist serious crime squad and follow an earlier arrest of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area region in November. He was released pending additional inquiries.