Arrests Made in Link to Massive Unlawful Rubbish Dump
A pair of individuals have been taken into custody as part of an investigation into the dumping of several thousand of metric tons of rubbish in a field in Oxfordshire, England.
Authorities stated that a 69-year-old was detained at a residence in Hampshire's Andover, while a 54-year-old was taken into custody in Slough in relation with the massive mound of waste deposited near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.
These arrests follow a previous revelation which revealed the presence of over 500 unauthorized tips throughout England, encompassing at least 11 so-called "super sites" larger than 20,000 tonnes.
A official for the environmental body stated that the arrests were for environment-related and proceeds of crime violations and were a "key step" in ongoing probes. The two individuals have been released on pre-trial release.
Magnitude of the Problem
The tipping ground in near Kidlington, situated between the River Cherwell and the A34 highway, is believed to hold about 21,000 metric tons of rubbish in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) tall.
This pile of waste is consists of what appears to be treated residential rubbish, chopped up plastics, expanded polystyrene, tires and other household articles.
It represents just a single of 517 illegal sites throughout the country, at a minimum of 11 of which hold in excess of 20,000 tons of waste. They feature a 280,000-tonne location in the county of Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne locations in Lancashire county and Cornwall county and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent.
The actual amount of such major dumps is expected to be larger, as the regulatory agency has previously acknowledged it does not hold records on weight for all unlawful dump.
Most sites are in countryside settings, typically out of sight, and on land that should be farm land.
Organized Operations
Authorities state a significant number are run by organised crime gangs, who are making profit by demanding far less than licensed companies to accept and landfill rubbish.
Firms have to be liable for site fees to use licensed waste facilities, based on the volume and type of material they are trying to discard, and a waste tax is also applied at just over £126 per tonne.
Community Anger
Preparation work to remove the Kidlington dump commenced earlier this month following concerns over the potential of combustion and the impact that would have on the adjacent major road.
A private waste removal company has been given the task to deal with the area over the coming 12 months at a cost of £9.6m.
An enforcement official for the national environmental crime team stated that the body would be aiming to recover the clearance costs under asset recovery acts from any party found guilty at the end of its current investigation.
She further stated that these arrests would help "push the probe forward" and permit the agency to "follow more lines of inquiry to understand exactly what happened and who was involved".
"This unlawful tip at the site was an shocking and deliberate attack on our ecology and officials share the public's outrage at this terrible act," she stated.
A government minister praised the arrests, commenting: "This unauthorized tipping of waste at Kidlington is utterly appalling and has resulted in substantial damage to the environment and distress to the local residents.
"The administration is committed to stamping out this category of criminality across the nation, by increasing funds to tackle environmental crime, employing more staff and enacting stricter checks and sanctions for those who flout the rules."
The detentions were executed on Thursday by officers from a specialist organised crime squad and follow an prior detention of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area region in November. He was let go pending further investigations.
