Apprehensions Made in Relation to Supersized Illegal Landfill

A pair of individuals have been taken into custody as a component of an inquiry into the illegal deposit of thousands of metric tons of rubbish in a field in the county of Oxfordshire.

Law enforcement reported that a 69-year-old was detained at a residence in Andover, Hampshire, while a 54-year-old was taken into custody in Slough, Berkshire in relation with the enormous mound of waste dumped near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

These arrests occur a week after a prior revelation which revealed the operation of more than 500 unlawful sites across the country of England, featuring at a minimum of 11 so-called "super sites" larger than 20,000 tonnes.

A representative for the environmental authorities stated that the apprehensions were for environment-related and proceeds of crime crimes and constituted a "vital step" in continuing investigations. Both men have been let go on pre-trial release.

Size of the Problem

The tipping ground in Kidlington, located between the Cherwell River and the A34, is thought to house approximately 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 appears to be processed household waste, chopped up plastic materials, polystyrene, tyres and various household objects.

It constitutes just one example of 517 unlawful dumps throughout England, at minimum 11 of which are estimated to hold more than 20,000 tons of garbage. Such sites encompass a 280,000-tonne area in the county of Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne locations in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent.

The actual number of such major sites is likely to be larger, as the environmental body has previously stated it does not maintain information on tonnage for every unauthorized dump.

Most these sites are in agricultural settings, typically out of sight, and on land that is zoned as arable ground.

Organised Enterprise

Police state a significant number are operated by organised crime gangs, who are earning profit by asking for far less than legitimate companies to receive and landfill garbage.

Firms have to pay gate fees to use legitimate disposal sites, based on the volume and category of refuse they are trying to get rid of, and landfill tax is also applied at just over £126 per tonne.

Public Outrage

Preparatory efforts to clear the affected dump began earlier this month following fears over the threat of blaze and the impact that would have on the close-by highway.

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

An investigations manager for the government environmental crime unit stated that the agency would be seeking to recoup the clean-up funds under proceeds of crime legislation from any party ultimately found guilty at the end of its active case.

She noted that the recent detentions would help "drive the probe forward" and enable officials to "pursue more lines of inquiry to determine exactly what occurred and who was implicated".

"This unlawful site at the site was an shocking and deliberate assault on our natural surroundings and we empathize with the public's frustration at this egregious act," she said.

A senior minister supported the detentions, stating: "This unauthorized dumping of waste at the site is utterly appalling and has led to significant damage to the environment and anguish to the nearby community.

"Our administration is pledged to eliminating this kind of crime across the country, by boosting funds to combat environmental crime, employing more staff and introducing tougher measures and sanctions for those who break the law."

The detentions were executed on the specified day by personnel from a specialist crime unit and are in addition to an prior detention of a man in his thirties from the Surrey area in last November. He was let go subject to more investigations.