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A pair of individuals have been detained as part of an investigation into the illegal deposit of several thousand of tons of refuse in a open field in Oxfordshire, England.

Officials stated that a man in his late sixties was detained at a dwelling in Hampshire's Andover, while a man in his fifties was taken into custody in the town of Slough in association with the enormous heap of garbage deposited near Kidlington.

These detentions come after a prior report which revealed the presence of in excess of 500 illegal dumps in England, featuring at minimum 11 so-called "super sites" bigger than 20,000 metric tons.

A spokeswoman for the environment agency commented that the detentions were for environmental and proceeds of crime crimes and represented a "vital step" in ongoing probes. The apprehended men have been let go on pre-trial release.

Magnitude of the Issue

The illegal site in the Kidlington area, located between the Cherwell River and the A34 highway, is believed to hold approximately 21,000 metric tons of refuse in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) in height.

This heap of garbage is made up of what seems to be treated domestic rubbish, shredded plastic items, Styrofoam, tires and other everyday items.

It represents just a single of 517 illegal sites across England, at a minimum of 11 of which contain over 20,000 tonnes of waste. They encompass a 280,000-tonne area in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire and Cornwall county and a 36,000-tonne dump in Kent.

The total amount of such bigger sites is expected to be greater, as the regulatory body has in the past acknowledged it does not possess information on tonnage for every unauthorized tip.

A large proportion of such locations are in rural settings, typically hidden, and on land that should be farm land.

Organised Enterprise

Police report a significant number are run by criminal organizations, who are generating cash by charging far less than legitimate operators to take and bury waste.

Companies have to pay disposal fees to use licensed waste facilities, contingent on the quantity and nature of material they are trying to get rid of, and a disposal levy is also levied at just over £126 per tonne.

Local Frustration

Initial operations to clean up the Kidlington dump began earlier this month amid fears over the potential of combustion and the effect that would have on the adjacent A-road.

A contracted waste removal company has been awarded the job to deal with the area over the coming 12 months period at a expense of £9.6m.

An compliance officer for the government environmental crime division commented that the agency would be aiming to claim back the clearance expenses under proceeds of crime laws from any individual prosecuted at the termination of its active case.

She noted that the recent apprehensions would help "move the inquiry forward" and enable officials to "follow more lines of inquiry to determine exactly what transpired and who was implicated".

"The unauthorized dump at this location was an atrocious and deliberate attack on our natural surroundings and we share the local outrage at this horrific crime," she stated.

A government official supported the arrests, stating: "The unlawful tipping of rubbish at this location is appalling and has resulted in significant damage to the environment and anguish to the surrounding community.

"The government is dedicated to eliminating this type of crime throughout the nation, by augmenting resources to combat environmental crime, employing more staff and enacting stricter checks and sanctions for those who break the rules."

The arrests were made on the specified day by personnel from a regional crime squad and are in addition to an previous detention of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area area in November. He was let go subject to more enquiries.