Arrests Executed in Relation to Enormous Illegal Rubbish Dump

A pair of individuals have been taken into custody as an element of an investigation into the tipping of several thousand of tonnes of rubbish in a open field in Oxfordshire.

Authorities indicated that a man in his late sixties was arrested at a dwelling in Andover, Hampshire, while a man in his fifties was detained in the town of Slough in association with the massive pile of garbage deposited near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

These detentions follow a prior investigation which revealed the existence of in excess of 500 unlawful dumps throughout England, featuring at minimum 11 so-called "major sites" greater than 20,000 tons.

A representative for the regulatory body stated that the arrests were for ecological and money laundering violations and constituted a "vital step" in ongoing inquiries. Both men have been set free on bail.

Scale of the Situation

The tipping ground in the Kidlington area, situated between the River Cherwell and the A34, is thought to contain about 21,000 tons of waste in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) in height.

This heap of garbage is made up of what seems to be sorted household refuse, chopped up plastics, polystyrene, tires and various everyday items.

It represents just one example of 517 unauthorized sites in England, at a minimum of 11 of which are estimated to hold over 20,000 tons of waste. Such sites encompass a 280,000-tonne location in the county of Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne site in Kent.

The total amount of such bigger locations is expected to be greater, as the environment agency has earlier stated it does not hold data on weight for every unauthorized dump.

The majority such locations are in agricultural settings, typically out of sight, and on land that is intended to be agricultural ground.

Organised Activity

Police report numerous are run by organised crime gangs, who are earning money by asking for much less than lawful operators to accept and dispose of waste.

Firms have to incur disposal fees to use lawful landfill sites, depending on the quantity and category of material they are trying to discard, and a waste tax is also levied at just over £126 per ton.

Public Anger

Preparatory work to remove the affected dump began recently amid concerns over the risk of combustion and the consequences that would have on the adjacent major road.

A contracted clean-up company has been granted the task to remediate the site over the following 12 months at a price of £9.6m.

An investigations manager for the country's environment division said that the agency would be seeking to recover the clearance expenses under proceeds of crime legislation from anyone successfully prosecuted at the end of its active case.

She further stated that these arrests would help "push the inquiry forward" and enable officials to "follow more avenues to determine in detail what occurred and who was involved".

"This unauthorized site at this location was an atrocious and calculated attack on our ecology and the authorities share the public's frustration at this horrific crime," she stated.

A government minister welcomed the arrests, stating: "The illegal dumping of rubbish at Kidlington is utterly appalling and has led to substantial harm to the ecology and upset to the surrounding community.

"Our government is committed to stamping out this kind of crime in the country, by augmenting resources to combat waste crime, recruiting more personnel and implementing more severe checks and sanctions for those who flout the law."

The arrests were made on the specified day by officers from a dedicated crime unit and are in addition to an earlier arrest of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area region in last November. He was set free awaiting more investigations.