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A pair of individuals have been arrested as an element of an investigation into the dumping of several thousand of tonnes of refuse in a open field in Oxfordshire, England.

Officials reported that a man in his late sixties was detained at a property in the town of Andover, while a man in his fifties was detained in Slough, Berkshire in connection with the massive pile of garbage tipped near Kidlington.

These detentions occur a week after a prior revelation which revealed the existence of in excess of 500 illegal sites across England, including at a minimum of 11 so-called "major sites" bigger than 20,000 tonnes.

A representative for the environment agency stated that the arrests were for environmental and financial offences and constituted a "key step" in active inquiries. The apprehended men have been released on bail.

Scale of the Issue

The tipping ground in Kidlington, located between the River Cherwell and the A34 highway, is estimated to contain approximately 21,000 tonnes of rubbish in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) in height.

This pile of rubbish is consists of what looks to be processed domestic refuse, fragmented plastics, expanded polystyrene, automobile tires and various household items.

It constitutes just a single of 517 unlawful sites in the country, at minimum 11 of which are estimated to hold more than 20,000 tons of rubbish. Such sites encompass a 280,000-tonne site in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne dump in the county of Kent.

The actual number of such larger dumps is expected to be higher, as the environmental agency has in the past stated it does not maintain data on weight for all unauthorized tip.

A large proportion of these sites are in rural areas, typically hidden, and on land that is zoned as agricultural ground.

Criminal Enterprise

Law enforcement report a significant number are operated by criminal organizations, who are making money by charging significantly less than licensed operators to receive and bury garbage.

Firms have to incur site fees to use licensed disposal sites, depending on the amount and category of waste they are trying to dispose of, and a disposal levy is also charged at just over £126 per metric ton.

Community Anger

Preparatory work to clear the Kidlington site commenced in recent weeks following concerns over the potential of combustion and the consequences that would have on the adjacent major road.

A private waste clearance firm has been awarded the contract to deal with the location over the following 12 months at a cost of £9.6m.

An enforcement manager for the government regulatory division said that the agency would be seeking to recoup the clean-up expenses under asset recovery legislation from any party ultimately convicted at the conclusion of its ongoing case.

She further stated that the recent arrests would help "drive the probe forward" and allow authorities to "follow more avenues to understand in detail what occurred and who was implicated".

"The unauthorized tip at the site was an atrocious and calculated affront on our environment and we empathize with the local frustration at this terrible crime," she remarked.

A senior official praised the actions, stating: "This illegal tipping of garbage at the site is disgraceful and has resulted in considerable damage to the environment and distress to the surrounding community.

"Our administration is pledged to stamping out this type of illegal activity throughout the country, by boosting resources to combat environmental crime, employing more staff and enacting tougher controls and fines for those who flout the regulations."

The arrests were carried out on Thursday by agents from a regional serious crime squad and are in addition to an prior detention of a 39-year-old from the Surrey area in last November. He was set free subject to further enquiries.