🔗 Share this article

Two men have been detained as a component of an inquiry into the dumping of several thousand of tons of refuse in a rural field in Oxfordshire.

Authorities indicated that a man in his late sixties was arrested at a dwelling in Andover, Hampshire, while a 54-year-old was taken into custody in Slough, Berkshire in relation with the huge mound of garbage dumped near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

These apprehensions follow a previous revelation which exposed the existence of more than 500 unauthorized tips throughout the country of England, including at minimum 11 so-called "major sites" bigger than 20,000 tonnes.

A representative for the environment authorities said that the detentions were for environmental and money laundering offences and represented a "crucial step" in active investigations. The apprehended men have been set free on pre-trial release.

Magnitude of the Issue

The tipping ground in Kidlington, situated between the river Cherwell and the A34, is estimated to contain about 21,000 tonnes of refuse in a pile which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) high.

This mound of waste is composed of what looks to be sorted domestic rubbish, shredded plastic items, expanded polystyrene, automobile tires and various domestic objects.

It is just a single of 517 illegal sites in England, at least 11 of which contain over 20,000 metric tons of garbage. These encompass a 280,000-tonne area in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire county and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent.

The total amount of such larger locations is probably to be greater, as the regulatory body has previously stated it does not hold records on tonnage for each unauthorized dump.

A large proportion of sites are in agricultural settings, typically concealed, and on land that should be agricultural ground.

Organised Enterprise

Law enforcement report a significant number are run by organised crime gangs, who are making money by demanding far less than licensed firms to accept and bury waste.

Companies have to pay site fees to use licensed waste facilities, depending on the volume and type of material they are trying to get rid of, and a waste tax is also charged at just over £126 per ton.

Community Outrage

Preparatory efforts to remove the Kidlington location commenced earlier this month due to worries over the risk of combustion and the impact that would have on the adjacent A-road.

A private waste removal contractor has been awarded the job to remediate the site over the coming 12 months at a cost of £9.6m.

An enforcement manager for the government regulatory unit commented that the agency would be aiming to claim back the remediation funds under confiscation laws from any party ultimately found guilty at the conclusion of its ongoing inquiry.

She added that the recent arrests would help "drive the inquiry forward" and enable authorities to "investigate more avenues to determine in detail what transpired and who was involved".

"The illegal tip at Kidlington was an shocking and deliberate attack on our ecology and the authorities share the community's outrage at this egregious crime," she stated.

A government representative welcomed the arrests, adding: "The illegal deposit of garbage at this location is appalling and has led to significant damage to the environment and anguish to the nearby population.

"Our authorities is pledged to eliminating this type of illegal activity across the country, by increasing financing to address illegal dumping, employing more personnel and implementing stricter measures and sanctions for those who flout the rules."

The detentions were executed on Thursday by agents from a specialist organised crime unit and follow an previous apprehension of a 39-year-old from the Surrey area in last November. He was set free pending more enquiries.