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

Law enforcement stated that a man in his late sixties was detained at a dwelling in Andover, Hampshire, while a 54-year-old was detained in Slough in connection with the massive heap of waste dumped near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

These arrests occur a week after a previous revelation which revealed the presence of more than 500 illegal tips across the country of England, featuring at a minimum of 11 so-called "major sites" greater than 20,000 metric tons.

A official for the regulatory agency said that the arrests were for environment-related and proceeds of crime crimes and represented a "crucial step" in active investigations. The apprehended men have been let go on bail.

Scale of the Issue

The tipping ground in the Kidlington area, situated between the river Cherwell and the A34 highway, is thought to contain around 21,000 metric tons of refuse in a pile which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) high.

This pile of rubbish is consists of what seems to be processed residential refuse, chopped up plastics, Styrofoam, tires and assorted everyday items.

It is just a single of 517 unauthorized dumps in England, at least 11 of which hold over 20,000 tons of waste. Such sites encompass a 280,000-tonne site in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne sites in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent.

The overall figure of such larger dumps is probably to be higher, as the environment agency has in the past stated it does not maintain data on weight for all illegal dump.

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

Criminal Activity

Police report many are run by organised crime gangs, who are generating money by charging far less than lawful companies to receive and bury waste.

Companies have to pay site fees to use licensed waste facilities, based on the amount and type of material they are trying to get rid of, and a disposal levy is also applied at just over £126 per tonne.

Public Outrage

Preparation efforts to clear the affected dump commenced in recent weeks amid worries over the risk of fire and the consequences that would have on the adjacent A-road.

A private waste removal company has been granted the task to handle the site over the next 12 months at a price of £9.6m.

An enforcement manager for the country's environmental crime unit commented that the authority would be looking to recoup the clean-up costs under confiscation acts from any party ultimately prosecuted at the termination of its active investigation.

She noted that the recent apprehensions would help "drive the inquiry forward" and allow the agency to "pursue more lines of inquiry to understand in detail what occurred and who was a party to it".

"The unlawful dump at Kidlington was an atrocious and intentional affront on our ecology and the authorities understand the local anger at this horrific act," she said.

A senior minister welcomed the detentions, adding: "The illegal deposit of garbage at this location is utterly appalling and has resulted in significant damage to the natural world and upset to the nearby residents.

"Our administration is pledged to stamping out this kind of illegal activity throughout the country, by boosting resources to combat illegal dumping, recruiting more personnel and enacting more severe measures and sanctions for those who flout the law."

The apprehensions were carried out on Thursday by agents from a regional organised crime team and follow an earlier detention of a 39-year-old from the Guildford region in November. He was set free pending additional enquiries.