Detentions Executed in Connection to Massive Unauthorized Waste Site

Two individuals have been taken into custody as part of an investigation into the dumping of several thousand of tons of refuse in a rural field in the county of Oxfordshire.

Law enforcement indicated that a 69-year-old was detained at a residence in Andover, Hampshire, while a man in his fifties was detained in Slough in connection with the huge heap of waste deposited near Kidlington.

These arrests occur a week after a previous investigation which revealed the existence of over 500 illegal tips across England, including at minimum 11 so-called "large-scale sites" greater than 20,000 tons.

A representative for the environmental agency commented that the detentions were for ecological and proceeds of crime crimes and were a "key step" in continuing probes. The apprehended men have been set free on bail.

Magnitude of the Situation

The illegal site in the Kidlington area, positioned between the River Cherwell and the A34 road, is believed to hold about 21,000 metric tons of refuse in a pile which is up to 150m (490ft) long and 6m (20ft) in height.

This pile of rubbish is composed of what seems to be treated household waste, shredded plastics, Styrofoam, tyres and other everyday items.

It is just a single of 517 unlawful dumps across England, at least 11 of which contain over 20,000 metric tons of garbage. They include a 280,000-tonne site in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne site in the county of Kent.

The actual amount of such larger dumps is expected to be higher, as the regulatory agency has previously stated it does not hold information on weight for all illegal site.

Most these sites are in countryside locations, often concealed, and on land that is intended to be agricultural land.

Criminal Operations

Authorities report many are operated by organised crime gangs, who are making cash by asking for far less than lawful operators to receive and bury garbage.

Businesses have to pay site fees to use lawful landfill sites, based on the amount and nature of waste they are trying to discard, and a waste tax is also levied at just over £126 per tonne.

Local Frustration

Initial efforts to clear the affected site began earlier this month due to fears over the potential of combustion and the consequences that would have on the adjacent A-road.

A private waste clearance contractor has been given the task to remediate the site over the next 12 months at a price of £9.6m.

An compliance officer for the country's environmental crime team commented that the authority would be aiming to recoup the remediation funds under asset recovery acts from any party ultimately convicted at the termination of its ongoing inquiry.

She noted that the recent arrests would help "push the investigation forward" and permit authorities to "pursue more lines of inquiry to understand exactly what happened and who was a party to it".

"This illegal site at Kidlington was an atrocious and calculated attack on our natural surroundings and officials empathize with the community's anger at this terrible offence," she stated.

A government representative welcomed the arrests, adding: "This unlawful tipping of waste at Kidlington is disgraceful and has resulted in considerable damage to the ecology and distress to the surrounding community.

"Our authorities is pledged to eliminating this type of crime in the country, by increasing financing to address environmental crime, recruiting more officers and implementing more severe controls and sanctions for those who break the regulations."

The detentions were made on Thursday by agents from a regional organised crime squad and are in addition to an earlier arrest of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area region in last November. He was released awaiting more investigations.