Arrests Executed in Relation to Massive Illegal Landfill

A pair of individuals have been detained as a component of an inquiry into the tipping of thousands of metric tons of rubbish in a open field in Oxfordshire.

Law enforcement stated that a 69-year-old was apprehended at a residence in the town of Andover, while a 54-year-old was detained in Slough, Berkshire in connection with the enormous mound of garbage dumped near Kidlington.

These arrests follow a recent revelation which uncovered the existence of more than 500 unlawful dumps across England, featuring at a minimum of 11 so-called "major sites" bigger than 20,000 metric tons.

A spokeswoman for the environment authorities stated that the detentions were for ecological and proceeds of crime crimes and were a "crucial step" in active investigations. The apprehended men have been set free on conditional release.

Size of the Situation

The tipping ground in near Kidlington, located between the River Cherwell and the A34 highway, is estimated to contain approximately 21,000 tons of waste in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) long and 6m (20ft) tall.

This mound of garbage is consists of what seems to be processed residential rubbish, shredded plastic items, Styrofoam, tires and assorted domestic items.

It represents just one example of 517 unauthorized sites throughout England, at minimum 11 of which contain in excess of 20,000 tons of rubbish. Such sites feature a 280,000-tonne site in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent.

The overall amount of such larger dumps is probably to be higher, as the regulatory agency has previously stated it does not hold information on weight for each illegal tip.

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

Organised Activity

Authorities say a significant number are run by organised crime gangs, who are generating cash by charging much less than legitimate companies to take and dispose of waste.

Businesses have to pay disposal fees to use lawful disposal sites, depending on the volume and category of waste they are trying to discard, and a waste tax is also charged at just over £126 per metric ton.

Local Anger

Preparatory operations to remove the Kidlington location commenced recently due to worries over the threat of combustion and the impact that would have on the adjacent A-road.

A private waste clearance company has been given the job to remediate the location over the next 12 months at a cost of £9.6m.

An enforcement official for the national environment team stated that the agency would be aiming to claim back the remediation costs under confiscation acts from any party successfully convicted at the end of its active case.

She further stated that this week's arrests would help "push the inquiry forward" and enable the agency to "investigate more lines of inquiry to understand in detail what occurred and who was implicated".

"The unauthorized tip at Kidlington was an shocking and calculated assault on our environment and the authorities empathize with the community's anger at this egregious crime," she remarked.

A cabinet official supported the arrests, commenting: "This unauthorized dumping of rubbish at Kidlington is utterly appalling and has resulted in considerable harm to the natural world and upset to the local community.

"The administration is committed to eliminating this type of criminality across the country, by boosting financing to address illegal dumping, employing more staff and enacting tougher measures and fines for those who flout the law."

The arrests were executed on the specified day by agents from a specialist serious crime team and follow an earlier detention of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area region in last November. He was released awaiting additional investigations.