Detentions Executed in Connection to Supersized Illegal Waste Site

Two men have been taken into custody as part of an investigation into the tipping of several thousand of tons of rubbish in a open field in the county of Oxfordshire.

Officials indicated that a man in his late sixties was arrested at a property in the town of Andover, while a 54-year-old was detained in the town of Slough in relation with the massive heap of rubbish deposited near Kidlington.

These detentions follow a previous revelation which uncovered the existence of over 500 illegal tips across England, including at least 11 so-called "super sites" larger than 20,000 metric tons.

A representative for the environment agency stated that the arrests were for ecological and proceeds of crime violations and represented a "crucial step" in ongoing investigations. The two individuals have been released on conditional release.

Magnitude of the Problem

The tipping ground in the Kidlington area, positioned between the river Cherwell and the A34 highway, is thought to contain about 21,000 tons of refuse in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) tall.

This heap of rubbish is made up of what looks to be sorted household refuse, fragmented plastics, polystyrene, tires and assorted domestic objects.

It represents just a single of 517 unlawful sites in the country, at minimum 11 of which contain in excess of 20,000 tons of rubbish. Such sites encompass a 280,000-tonne site in the county of Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire and Cornwall county and a 36,000-tonne dump in Kent.

The total number of such major sites is probably to be greater, as the environment agency has earlier stated it does not hold data on tonnage for every illegal tip.

The majority such locations are in rural locations, often hidden, and on land that is zoned as arable land.

Organized Operations

Police report a significant number are run by organised crime gangs, who are generating profit by charging much less than lawful operators to receive and landfill waste.

Firms have to pay gate fees to use lawful disposal sites, contingent on the quantity and nature of refuse they are trying to get rid of, and landfill tax is also charged at just over £126 per metric ton.

Local Frustration

Preparation operations to clear the Kidlington area site commenced recently following fears over the potential of combustion and the effect that would have on the nearby highway.

A private clean-up company has been awarded the contract to remediate the area over the next 12 months period at a price of £9.6m.

An enforcement manager for the government environment division said that the authority would be seeking to claim back the clearance expenses under asset recovery laws from anyone ultimately found guilty at the termination of its current inquiry.

She noted that this week's apprehensions would help "move the probe forward" and permit the agency to "pursue more leads to ascertain precisely what occurred and who was a party to it".

"The unlawful dump at Kidlington was an appalling and deliberate affront on our environment and we understand the community's outrage at this egregious offence," she remarked.

A government representative welcomed the actions, commenting: "This unauthorized dumping of garbage at this location is disgraceful and has resulted in substantial damage to the environment and upset to the surrounding population.

"Our authorities is committed to stamping out this kind of illegal activity across the country, by augmenting funds to combat waste crime, hiring more staff and implementing stricter controls and penalties for those who flout the regulations."

The detentions were executed on a recent Thursday by personnel from a regional organised crime unit and follow an earlier apprehension of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area region in the autumn. He was released subject to further enquiries.