Arrests Executed in Relation to Massive Unlawful Waste Site
A pair of individuals have been arrested as part of an inquiry into the illegal deposit of several thousand of tons of waste in a field in Oxfordshire.
Law enforcement reported that a 69-year-old was detained at a residence in Hampshire's Andover, while a man in his fifties was taken into custody in Slough in relation with the enormous mound of garbage dumped near Kidlington.
These detentions occur a week after a previous investigation which exposed the existence of in excess of 500 illegal sites throughout England, including at minimum 11 so-called "super sites" greater than 20,000 tonnes.
A representative for the regulatory agency said that the detentions were for environmental and financial offences and constituted a "crucial step" in continuing investigations. Both men have been released on pre-trial release.
Magnitude of the Problem
The dump in near Kidlington, situated between the river Cherwell and the A34, is believed to hold about 21,000 tonnes of waste in a pile which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) tall.
This heap of rubbish is consists of what looks to be sorted domestic waste, shredded plastic materials, Styrofoam, tires and assorted domestic items.
It constitutes just one example of 517 unlawful tips across the country, at a minimum of 11 of which are estimated to hold in excess of 20,000 tonnes of garbage. Such sites include a 280,000-tonne location in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne locations in Lancashire and Cornwall county and a 36,000-tonne dump in the county of Kent.
The actual amount of such larger dumps is expected to be larger, as the regulatory body has in the past acknowledged it does not possess records on weight for all unlawful tip.
Most sites are in countryside areas, typically concealed, and on land that is intended to be agricultural land.
Organised Enterprise
Law enforcement state numerous are run by criminal organizations, who are generating money by charging significantly less than legitimate operators to accept and landfill waste.
Businesses have to incur site fees to use legitimate disposal sites, based on the quantity and type of refuse they are trying to dispose of, and a waste tax is also charged at just over £126 per ton.
Local Frustration
Initial work to clear the Kidlington area dump began in recent weeks due to concerns over the potential of fire and the impact that would have on the nearby A-road.
A private waste clearance company has been awarded the contract to deal with the area over the coming 12 months at a cost of £9.6m.
An investigations official for the government regulatory division commented that the agency would be looking to recover the clearance costs under asset recovery legislation from anyone prosecuted at the termination of its ongoing investigation.
She added that this week's detentions would help "push the probe forward" and enable officials to "investigate more avenues to ascertain exactly what occurred and who was involved".
"This illegal site at the site was an appalling and intentional attack on our environment and officials share the local outrage at this egregious act," she remarked.
A cabinet official praised the actions, commenting: "This unlawful dumping of rubbish at the site is disgraceful and has resulted in considerable damage to the natural world and distress to the nearby community.
"The government is dedicated to eradicating this kind of illegal activity across the UK, by augmenting resources to address waste crime, employing more officers and implementing more severe measures and penalties for those who flout the law."
The detentions were made on the specified day by officers from a regional serious crime squad and come after an previous detention of a man in his thirties from the Surrey area in last November. He was released pending more investigations.
