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A pair of individuals have been detained as part of an probe into the tipping of many thousands of tons of refuse in a open field in Oxfordshire, England.

Officials stated that a 69-year-old was arrested at a dwelling in Andover, Hampshire, while a man in his fifties was arrested in Slough, Berkshire in association with the enormous mound of garbage dumped near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

These apprehensions come after a recent report which exposed the presence of over 500 unauthorized tips in the country of England, including at least 11 so-called "super sites" larger than 20,000 tonnes.

A representative for the environmental body stated that the apprehensions were for environment-related and financial offences and were a "key step" in ongoing inquiries. Both men have been released on conditional release.

Size of the Situation

The tipping ground in the Kidlington area, situated between the River Cherwell and the A34 highway, is estimated to hold approximately 21,000 tonnes of rubbish in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) lengthwise and 6m (20ft) high.

This mound of garbage is consists of what looks to be processed domestic rubbish, shredded plastic items, expanded polystyrene, automobile tires and other domestic articles.

It represents just one example of 517 unlawful dumps throughout the country, at least 11 of which contain over 20,000 tons of rubbish. These feature a 280,000-tonne location in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire county and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne dump in Kent.

The total figure of such major dumps is probably to be higher, as the environmental agency has earlier stated it does not possess information on weight for every unlawful dump.

A large proportion of sites are in rural areas, often hidden, and on land that should be agricultural property.

Criminal Activity

Authorities say many are run by organised crime gangs, who are making cash by asking for far less than lawful operators to receive and bury garbage.

Businesses have to be liable for gate fees to use licensed waste facilities, contingent on the volume and nature of refuse they are trying to get rid of, and landfill tax is also applied at just over £126 per ton.

Local Frustration

Preparatory work to clear the Kidlington area dump started recently due to concerns over the potential of combustion and the consequences that would have on the nearby A-road.

A contracted waste clearance company has been given the job to deal with the area over the following 12 months at a expense of £9.6m.

An investigations official for the government environmental crime division said that the body would be aiming to claim back the clean-up funds under proceeds of crime legislation from anyone successfully prosecuted at the end of its active investigation.

She further stated that this week's detentions would help "move the inquiry forward" and permit the agency to "investigate more leads to understand exactly what occurred and who was implicated".

"The illegal tip at Kidlington was an atrocious and calculated assault on our natural surroundings and officials empathize with the local outrage at this egregious crime," she said.

A senior official welcomed the actions, stating: "This unauthorized tipping of garbage at Kidlington is utterly appalling and has led to significant harm to the natural world and distress to the local residents.

"Our administration is pledged to eradicating this type of criminality in the nation, by augmenting financing to tackle illegal dumping, employing more personnel and implementing tougher checks and penalties for those who flout the regulations."

The detentions were executed on Thursday by officers from a specialist organised crime team and come after an earlier apprehension of a man in his thirties from the Guildford area area in the autumn. He was let go pending additional enquiries.