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A pair of individuals have been taken into custody as an element of an investigation into the illegal deposit of several thousand of tons of refuse in a open field in the county of Oxfordshire.

Law enforcement reported that a 69-year-old was apprehended at a residence in Hampshire's Andover, while a 54-year-old was arrested in Slough, Berkshire in association with the huge pile of waste dumped near the area of Kidlington.

These apprehensions occur a week after a prior investigation which uncovered the existence of more than 500 unauthorized dumps across the country of England, including at minimum 11 so-called "super sites" greater than 20,000 tonnes.

A representative for the environment agency stated that the arrests were for environment-related and proceeds of crime crimes and represented a "crucial step" in active investigations. The apprehended men have been set free on pre-trial release.

Size of the Issue

The illegal site in the Kidlington area, situated between the river Cherwell and the A34 road, is estimated to hold about 21,000 metric tons of rubbish in a pile which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) in height.

This heap of garbage is composed of what looks to be treated household rubbish, fragmented plastic items, Styrofoam, automobile tires and assorted domestic items.

It constitutes just one of 517 unlawful tips in England, at a minimum of 11 of which contain in excess of 20,000 tonnes of garbage. These include a 280,000-tonne location in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent.

The overall figure of such major sites is likely to be higher, as the environment agency has in the past stated it does not maintain data on volume for every illegal site.

Most these sites are in agricultural locations, often hidden, and on land that should be agricultural property.

Organised Enterprise

Police state a significant number are run by criminal organizations, who are earning money by asking for far less than licensed firms to receive and landfill rubbish.

Companies have to be liable for gate fees to use licensed waste facilities, based on the volume and nature of refuse they are trying to discard, and landfill tax is also applied at just over £126 per tonne.

Community Frustration

Initial work to clear the Kidlington area location began earlier this month due to worries over the potential of combustion and the consequences that would have on the nearby major road.

A commercial waste removal contractor has been awarded the task to deal with the site over the next 12 months at a expense of £9.6m.

An enforcement official for the government environment team commented that the agency would be looking to claim back the clean-up funds under confiscation laws from any individual successfully found guilty at the end of its current inquiry.

She noted that the recent arrests would help "move the investigation forward" and permit the agency to "follow more lines of inquiry to understand in detail what happened and who was a party to it".

"The unlawful tip at the site was an appalling and calculated attack on our environment and we share the public's anger at this terrible crime," she remarked.

A cabinet minister supported the detentions, adding: "This unauthorized deposit of garbage at Kidlington is appalling and has caused considerable harm to the environment and upset to the nearby community.

"The administration is pledged to eradicating this type of illegal activity across the UK, by augmenting funds to combat illegal dumping, hiring more personnel and implementing stricter controls and fines for those who violate the rules."

The detentions were executed on the specified day by personnel from a dedicated organised crime squad and come after an previous detention of a 39-year-old from the Surrey area in November. He was let go awaiting further inquiries.