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A pair of individuals have been taken into custody as part of an probe into the illegal deposit of several thousand of metric tons of rubbish in a open field in Oxfordshire.

Law enforcement reported that a 69-year-old was arrested at a property in Andover, Hampshire, while a man in his fifties was detained in Slough in relation with the enormous pile of waste dumped near Kidlington.

These detentions occur a week after a recent revelation which uncovered the presence of more than 500 unauthorized tips across England, including at least 11 so-called "major sites" larger than 20,000 metric tons.

A representative for the regulatory authorities commented that the arrests were for environmental and financial violations and were a "crucial step" in active investigations. The apprehended men have been let go on conditional release.

Magnitude of the Problem

The dump in the Kidlington area, situated between the river Cherwell and the A34 highway, is estimated to contain around 21,000 tonnes of rubbish in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) tall.

This heap of rubbish is composed of what appears to be sorted residential refuse, chopped up plastic materials, expanded polystyrene, tires and various domestic items.

It constitutes just one example of 517 illegal sites throughout England, at least 11 of which are estimated to hold more than 20,000 metric tons of waste. These feature a 280,000-tonne site in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne areas in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne dump in the county of Kent.

The actual amount of such major locations is probably to be greater, as the environmental body has previously acknowledged it does not maintain information on volume for each unlawful tip.

The majority such locations are in agricultural settings, often hidden, and on land that is intended to be arable ground.

Organised Operations

Law enforcement state numerous are run by organised crime gangs, who are making profit by charging significantly less than licensed operators to take and bury rubbish.

Businesses have to incur site fees to use lawful landfill sites, contingent on the quantity and nature of material they are trying to dispose of, and a disposal levy is also applied at just over £126 per metric ton.

Community Frustration

Initial work to remove the affected dump began recently due to fears over the potential of combustion and the impact that would have on the adjacent major road.

A contracted waste removal company has been given the task to deal with the location over the following 12 months period at a price of £9.6m.

An investigations manager for the government environment team stated that the authority would be looking to recoup the clearance expenses under proceeds of crime laws from any party found guilty at the termination of its ongoing investigation.

She added that these arrests would help "drive the inquiry forward" and enable officials to "investigate more avenues to determine exactly what happened and who was involved".

"This unauthorized dump at this location was an appalling and calculated affront on our natural surroundings and officials empathize with the public's frustration at this egregious offence," she said.

A government representative supported the detentions, adding: "The unlawful deposit of waste at Kidlington is appalling and has caused substantial harm to the environment and anguish to the nearby residents.

"Our authorities is dedicated to eradicating this type of criminality in the UK, by increasing funds to address illegal dumping, employing more personnel and enacting stricter checks and fines for those who flout the law."

The arrests were carried out on Thursday by personnel from a specialist organised crime squad and are in addition to an previous apprehension of a 39-year-old from the Guildford area in November. He was let go awaiting further inquiries.