Arrests Executed in Relation to Massive Illegal Waste Site
Two men have been detained as an element of an investigation into the illegal deposit of thousands of tons of waste in a field in Oxfordshire, England.
Officials indicated that a 69-year-old was detained at a residence in the town of Andover, while a 54-year-old was arrested in Slough, Berkshire in connection with the massive heap of waste tipped near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.
These apprehensions come after a previous report which exposed the existence of over 500 illegal tips in England, featuring at a minimum of 11 so-called "large-scale sites" larger than 20,000 metric tons.
A representative for the regulatory body said that the arrests were for ecological and money laundering crimes and were a "vital step" in ongoing probes. Both men have been let go on conditional release.
Magnitude of the Situation
The tipping ground in near Kidlington, positioned between the river Cherwell and the A34, is estimated to hold around 21,000 tonnes of rubbish in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) high.
This mound of garbage is composed of what looks to be treated domestic refuse, chopped up plastic materials, Styrofoam, tyres and assorted everyday objects.
It represents just one example of 517 illegal dumps in England, at least 11 of which hold in excess of 20,000 tons of garbage. They include a 280,000-tonne area in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire county and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne dump in Kent.
The overall number of such larger sites is expected to be larger, as the environmental authority has in the past acknowledged it does not maintain information on weight for all illegal dump.
Most sites are in agricultural settings, frequently concealed, and on land that is zoned as arable ground.
Criminal Enterprise
Authorities say many are managed by organised crime gangs, who are earning profit by demanding far less than licensed operators to receive and landfill waste.
Firms have to pay gate fees to use licensed landfill sites, depending on the amount and category of material they are trying to dispose of, and a disposal levy is also levied at just over £126 per metric ton.
Public Anger
Preparation operations to remove the affected site started recently following concerns over the threat of blaze and the effect that would have on the nearby major road.
A commercial waste clearance contractor has been granted the contract to remediate the location over the next 12 months period at a price of £9.6m.
An investigations officer for the government regulatory division commented that the agency would be looking to recoup the remediation costs under confiscation legislation from any individual successfully prosecuted at the termination of its ongoing investigation.
She further stated that these detentions would help "move the probe forward" and enable officials to "pursue more avenues to ascertain in detail what transpired and who was implicated".
"This unauthorized dump at Kidlington was an appalling and calculated affront on our ecology and we understand the public's anger at this terrible act," she said.
A government minister welcomed the detentions, commenting: "This illegal tipping of waste at this location is appalling and has caused significant harm to the environment and anguish to the local residents.
"Our administration is committed to stamping out this category of criminality in the nation, by increasing resources to tackle illegal dumping, recruiting more staff and introducing tougher controls and fines for those who break the law."
The detentions were carried out on a recent Thursday by personnel from a dedicated serious crime squad and follow an previous detention of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area in November. He was let go awaiting more inquiries.
