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A pair of individuals have been detained as part of an investigation into the tipping of many thousands of tonnes of refuse in a rural field in Oxfordshire, England.

Officials stated that a 69-year-old was apprehended at a residence in Hampshire's Andover, while a 54-year-old was taken into custody in the town of Slough in connection with the massive heap of waste deposited near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

These arrests follow a recent revelation which uncovered the existence of in excess of 500 unauthorized sites in England, encompassing at minimum 11 so-called "super sites" bigger than 20,000 metric tons.

A spokeswoman for the environmental authorities stated that the detentions were for ecological and financial crimes and were a "crucial step" in ongoing investigations. Both men have been set free on pre-trial release.

Size of the Situation

The dump in the Kidlington area, positioned between the River Cherwell and the A34 highway, is believed to hold around 21,000 tonnes of waste in a heap which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) in height.

This heap of garbage is composed of what looks to be treated domestic waste, shredded plastics, polystyrene, automobile tires and assorted domestic objects.

It represents just one example of 517 unlawful dumps across England, at least 11 of which contain more than 20,000 tons of rubbish. Such sites include a 280,000-tonne site in the county of Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne locations in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne tip in the county of Kent.

The total figure of such major locations is likely to be greater, as the environment authority has earlier indicated it does not maintain data on volume for every unauthorized tip.

Most these sites are in countryside areas, often hidden, and on land that is zoned as farm ground.

Organized Enterprise

Law enforcement report many are run by criminal organizations, who are making money by charging significantly less than licensed companies to accept and dispose of rubbish.

Businesses have to pay disposal fees to use licensed landfill sites, depending on the volume and nature of refuse they are trying to dispose of, and landfill tax is also charged at just over £126 per tonne.

Public Frustration

Initial operations to clear the Kidlington location commenced in recent weeks due to worries over the threat of fire and the effect that would have on the adjacent A-road.

A contracted waste clearance contractor has been awarded the contract to deal with the location over the next 12 months period at a cost of £9.6m.

An investigations official for the government environment unit commented that the authority would be looking to recover the clearance funds under proceeds of crime laws from any party ultimately found guilty at the termination of its ongoing inquiry.

She further stated that these arrests would help "move the inquiry forward" and allow the agency to "pursue more lines of inquiry to understand exactly what transpired and who was a party to it".

"This unauthorized dump at Kidlington was an appalling and deliberate affront on our ecology and we understand the public's frustration at this horrific crime," she said.

A government representative praised the actions, stating: "The unlawful tipping of rubbish at this location is appalling and has led to considerable harm to the ecology and anguish to the nearby community.

"The government is pledged to eliminating this kind of illegal activity throughout the country, by augmenting financing to combat waste crime, employing more staff and enacting more severe measures and fines for those who flout the law."

The detentions were made on a recent Thursday by personnel from a regional crime unit and come after an previous arrest of a 39-year-old from the Surrey area in last November. He was let go awaiting additional enquiries.