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Two individuals have been arrested as an element of an investigation into the dumping of many thousands of metric tons of waste in a field in Oxfordshire, England.

Authorities stated that a 69-year-old was arrested at a property in Andover, Hampshire, while a 54-year-old was arrested in Slough, Berkshire in association with the huge pile of garbage dumped near the area of Kidlington.

These detentions come after a prior revelation which exposed the existence of in excess of 500 unlawful sites in England, featuring at a minimum of 11 so-called "major sites" bigger than 20,000 metric tons.

A representative for the environmental authorities commented that the arrests were for environment-related and proceeds of crime violations and were a "vital step" in continuing investigations. The two individuals have been let go on bail.

Magnitude of the Situation

The dump in Kidlington, situated between the River Cherwell and the A34, is estimated to hold approximately 21,000 tons of rubbish in a mound which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) tall.

This mound of waste is made up of what appears to be treated domestic refuse, chopped up plastic items, polystyrene, tires and other household articles.

It constitutes just one example of 517 illegal tips in England, at a minimum of 11 of which hold more than 20,000 tonnes of waste. Such sites feature a 280,000-tonne area in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire and Cornwall county and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent.

The total figure of such bigger sites is likely to be greater, as the regulatory body has in the past stated it does not maintain records on volume for each unlawful site.

The majority these sites are in rural areas, frequently out of sight, and on land that is zoned as farm ground.

Criminal Activity

Authorities say a significant number are run by organised crime gangs, who are making profit by charging significantly less than licensed firms to accept and landfill waste.

Firms have to pay disposal fees to use legitimate waste facilities, contingent on the amount and category of material they are trying to discard, and a disposal levy is also applied at just over £126 per ton.

Community Outrage

Preparatory operations to clear the affected location commenced earlier this month due to worries over the threat of fire and the consequences that would have on the nearby A-road.

A private waste clearance contractor has been given the task to handle the location over the next 12 months at a price of £9.6m.

An enforcement manager for the government environment division stated that the agency would be aiming to claim back the remediation costs under asset recovery legislation from any individual ultimately convicted at the termination of its ongoing inquiry.

She further stated that the recent arrests would help "move the inquiry forward" and enable the agency to "follow more leads to determine precisely what transpired and who was involved".

"This illegal site at this location was an appalling and calculated attack on our environment and officials share the community's anger at this horrific crime," she said.

A senior representative praised the actions, commenting: "This illegal dumping of waste at Kidlington is utterly appalling and has caused significant damage to the natural world and distress to the surrounding residents.

"Our government is committed to eradicating this category of illegal activity across the UK, by augmenting resources to tackle illegal dumping, recruiting more officers and introducing tougher checks and fines for those who violate the regulations."

The arrests were executed on Thursday by personnel from a regional crime unit and come after an earlier arrest of a man in his thirties from the Guildford area in the autumn. He was let go awaiting further investigations.