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Two individuals have been taken into custody as part of an inquiry into the dumping of many thousands of tonnes of rubbish in a field in the county of Oxfordshire.

Law enforcement reported that a 69-year-old was arrested at a dwelling in Hampshire's Andover, while a 54-year-old was arrested in Slough, Berkshire in connection with the massive mound of waste tipped near Kidlington.

These detentions occur a week after a previous revelation which uncovered the operation of in excess of 500 unauthorized tips across England, featuring at minimum 11 so-called "super sites" larger than 20,000 tons.

A representative for the environment authorities commented that the detentions were for environment-related and financial violations and were a "key step" in ongoing inquiries. The two individuals have been let go on bail.

Size of the Problem

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

This pile of rubbish is composed of what looks to be treated domestic refuse, fragmented plastic items, Styrofoam, automobile tires and various everyday items.

It represents just one of 517 illegal tips in England, at least 11 of which are estimated to hold in excess of 20,000 tons of waste. Such sites encompass a 280,000-tonne location in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne locations in Lancashire county and Cornwall county and a 36,000-tonne site in Kent.

The overall figure of such bigger sites is probably to be higher, as the regulatory body has previously acknowledged it does not hold records on weight for all unlawful tip.

A large proportion of such locations are in rural areas, frequently hidden, and on land that is zoned as arable ground.

Criminal Operations

Police say many are run by organized crime groups, who are earning money by charging significantly less than licensed firms to take and bury rubbish.

Businesses have to incur site fees to use licensed disposal sites, depending on the quantity and category of refuse they are trying to get rid of, and a disposal levy is also charged at just over £126 per metric ton.

Local Outrage

Initial operations to remove the Kidlington area dump began in recent weeks following fears over the threat of blaze and the impact that would have on the close-by highway.

A contracted waste removal company has been awarded the task to remediate the site over the coming 12 months at a cost of £9.6m.

An compliance official for the government environment division stated that the authority would be aiming to recoup the clearance costs under asset recovery laws from any party found guilty at the conclusion of its current case.

She noted that these apprehensions would help "move the inquiry forward" and enable authorities to "pursue more avenues to understand in detail what occurred and who was implicated".

"This unauthorized site at this location was an shocking and intentional attack on our natural surroundings and the authorities empathize with the local frustration at this horrific crime," she said.

A senior representative welcomed the actions, adding: "The unlawful deposit of garbage at Kidlington is disgraceful and has caused significant harm to the environment and upset to the local community.

"The government is committed to eradicating this category of criminality across the UK, by boosting funds to tackle illegal dumping, employing more officers and introducing more severe measures and penalties for those who flout the regulations."

The detentions were carried out on Thursday by personnel from a regional organised crime team and come after an earlier detention of a 39-year-old from the Guildford region in the autumn. He was released subject to more investigations.