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Two individuals have been arrested as a component of an inquiry into the tipping of many thousands of metric tons of refuse in a open field in Oxfordshire, England.

Officials indicated that a man in his late sixties was apprehended at a dwelling in the town of Andover, while a 54-year-old was detained in the town of Slough in connection with the massive heap of garbage deposited near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

These detentions follow a prior revelation which exposed the existence of more than 500 unlawful dumps throughout England, including at a minimum of 11 so-called "major sites" larger than 20,000 metric tons.

A official for the regulatory authorities stated that the apprehensions were for environment-related and financial violations and were a "vital step" in continuing inquiries. The two individuals have been set free on bail.

Magnitude of the Issue

The illegal site in Kidlington, positioned between the River Cherwell and the A34, is believed to contain about 21,000 tons of rubbish in a mound which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) high.

This heap of rubbish is made up of what looks to be processed domestic waste, shredded plastics, expanded polystyrene, automobile tires and various everyday items.

It represents just one of 517 unauthorized tips across the country, at a minimum of 11 of which contain over 20,000 tonnes of garbage. Such sites encompass a 280,000-tonne site in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire county and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent.

The total number of such larger locations is expected to be larger, as the environmental body has earlier stated it does not maintain records on tonnage for each illegal dump.

Most such locations are in countryside locations, typically out of sight, and on land that is intended to be agricultural ground.

Organized Operations

Authorities say numerous are managed by organised crime gangs, who are earning profit by asking for far less than licensed firms to accept and bury rubbish.

Companies have to be liable for site fees to use licensed disposal sites, contingent on the volume and category of refuse they are trying to discard, and landfill tax is also applied at just over £126 per metric ton.

Public Frustration

Initial work to remove the Kidlington area dump commenced in recent weeks amid worries over the threat of blaze and the effect that would have on the close-by A-road.

A contracted waste clearance firm has been awarded the task to deal with the site over the next 12 months at a price of £9.6m.

An investigations officer for the government environmental crime unit commented that the agency would be seeking to claim back the clean-up funds under confiscation legislation from anyone successfully found guilty at the end of its active inquiry.

She added that the recent detentions would help "drive the inquiry forward" and allow officials to "investigate more avenues to ascertain in detail what happened and who was involved".

"This illegal tip at Kidlington was an appalling and deliberate assault on our natural surroundings and we share the public's anger at this horrific act," she remarked.

A senior official supported the detentions, commenting: "The illegal tipping of waste at Kidlington is utterly appalling and has resulted in substantial detriment to the ecology and distress to the local community.

"The authorities is pledged to eliminating this kind of illegal activity throughout the nation, by boosting funds to tackle environmental crime, employing more staff and enacting more severe measures and sanctions for those who flout the rules."

The apprehensions were made on Thursday by officers from a dedicated serious crime squad and come after an prior arrest of a man in his thirties from the Guildford area region in last November. He was released subject to additional investigations.