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Two individuals have been detained as a component of an investigation into the tipping of many thousands of tons of refuse in a open field in Oxfordshire, England.

Law enforcement reported that a 69-year-old was apprehended at a residence in Andover, Hampshire, while a 54-year-old was arrested in Slough, Berkshire in connection with the massive heap of rubbish deposited near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

These detentions come after a previous revelation which exposed the existence of more than 500 illegal dumps in England, including at least 11 so-called "super sites" larger than 20,000 tonnes.

A representative for the regulatory body stated that the arrests were for ecological and proceeds of crime crimes and constituted a "vital step" in ongoing probes. Both men have been let go on pre-trial release.

Magnitude of the Issue

The illegal site in the Kidlington area, positioned between the Cherwell River and the A34, is estimated to hold approximately 21,000 tonnes of waste in a pile which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) high.

This pile of rubbish is composed of what appears to be processed household refuse, fragmented plastic materials, polystyrene, tyres and assorted domestic items.

It represents just one example of 517 illegal dumps throughout England, at least 11 of which hold in excess of 20,000 tonnes of waste. These feature a 280,000-tonne site in the county of Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne dump in Kent.

The total amount of such larger sites is likely to be higher, as the regulatory authority has previously stated it does not maintain records on weight for each illegal site.

The majority these sites are in rural areas, often hidden, and on land that should be agricultural ground.

Organised Operations

Law enforcement state a significant number are operated by criminal organizations, who are generating profit by demanding much less than lawful operators to accept and bury waste.

Firms have to pay site fees to use lawful landfill sites, depending on the amount and category of refuse they are trying to dispose of, and a waste tax is also applied at just over £126 per metric ton.

Public Outrage

Initial efforts to clear the Kidlington location began recently following fears over the threat of combustion and the impact that would have on the nearby A-road.

A private clean-up contractor has been given the task to remediate the area over the following 12 months at a price of £9.6m.

An investigations manager for the national environmental crime unit said that the authority would be looking to claim back the clearance funds under asset recovery legislation from any party ultimately found guilty at the termination of its active case.

She further stated that this week's arrests would help "push the probe forward" and allow authorities to "investigate more leads to ascertain precisely what happened and who was involved".

"The unlawful tip at Kidlington was an appalling and intentional assault on our environment and the authorities empathize with the community's anger at this horrific act," she stated.

A cabinet official welcomed the arrests, commenting: "This unauthorized dumping of garbage at the site is appalling and has resulted in considerable damage to the ecology and anguish to the local residents.

"The authorities is dedicated to eradicating this type of illegal activity across the UK, by boosting resources to combat environmental crime, employing more personnel and enacting tougher controls and sanctions for those who violate the rules."

The arrests were carried out on Thursday by agents from a regional crime unit and come after an previous arrest of a 39-year-old from the Surrey area in November. He was set free awaiting further enquiries.