Arrests Executed in Relation to Massive Illegal Rubbish Dump

Two individuals have been arrested as part of an probe into the illegal deposit of thousands of metric tons of waste in a field in Oxfordshire.

Authorities reported that a 69-year-old was apprehended at a residence in Hampshire's Andover, while a 54-year-old was arrested in the town of Slough in association with the enormous heap of waste dumped near Kidlington.

These apprehensions come after a prior investigation which revealed the operation of more than 500 unauthorized tips throughout England, encompassing at a minimum of 11 so-called "major sites" bigger than 20,000 tonnes.

A spokeswoman for the environment body said that the arrests were for environmental and proceeds of crime offences and constituted a "key step" in ongoing investigations. The two individuals have been let go on bail.

Magnitude of the Issue

The dump in Kidlington, situated between the River Cherwell and the A34, is thought to house approximately 21,000 tons of rubbish in a pile which is up to 150m (490ft) long and 6m (20ft) high.

This mound of waste is made up of what looks to be treated domestic refuse, fragmented plastic items, Styrofoam, tyres and various household articles.

It is just a single of 517 unauthorized tips across the country, at a minimum of 11 of which contain over 20,000 tons of garbage. They feature a 280,000-tonne area in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire county and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne tip in the county of Kent.

The overall number of such major dumps is likely to be greater, as the environmental body has in the past stated it does not maintain data on volume for each illegal dump.

The majority sites are in rural settings, frequently out of sight, and on land that is zoned as farm property.

Organized Operations

Law enforcement say numerous are operated by organised crime gangs, who are generating money by demanding far less than lawful companies to receive and dispose of rubbish.

Firms have to incur site fees to use licensed disposal sites, depending on the volume and type of refuse they are trying to dispose of, and a waste tax is also applied at just over £126 per ton.

Community Outrage

Initial operations to remove the Kidlington area location commenced recently due to fears over the risk of combustion and the consequences that would have on the adjacent A-road.

A contracted waste removal firm has been given the task to handle the site over the coming 12 months period at a price of £9.6m.

An investigations officer for the government environment unit commented that the authority would be seeking to claim back the clearance funds under asset recovery laws from any individual ultimately found guilty at the termination of its ongoing investigation.

She noted that this week's apprehensions would help "drive the probe forward" and allow authorities to "investigate more avenues to determine in detail what transpired and who was involved".

"The illegal site at Kidlington was an shocking and calculated assault on our environment and the authorities understand the local frustration at this egregious crime," she remarked.

A government official welcomed the arrests, adding: "The illegal dumping of garbage at the site is appalling and has led to substantial harm to the environment and upset to the surrounding population.

"Our government is pledged to eradicating this type of crime in the country, by increasing financing to combat waste crime, recruiting more staff and introducing more severe measures and sanctions for those who flout the law."

The apprehensions were carried out on Thursday by agents from a specialist organised crime team and are in addition to an prior apprehension of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area region in last November. He was let go pending additional inquiries.