A man, aged 39, from Surrey has been detained in connection with what is being dubbed the largest fly-tipping incident in British history.
The towering 20-foot heap of dangerous waste was illicitly disposed of in a field adjacent to the A34 and the River Cherwell near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.
Authorities suspect the waste was deposited in a single operation, prompting a local MP to warn of an impending environmental catastrophe.
The massive rubbish pile, discovered last month by shocked fishermen, contains materials like plastic, foam, and wood.
The exact timing of when this waste mountain appeared remains uncertain, but the Environment Agency was notified in July.
Today, the agency announced that collaboration between its major investigation team and the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit has resulted in the arrest of a man from the Guildford vicinity.
Anna Burns, the Environment Agency’s area director for the Thames, said: ‘We have been working round the clock with the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit to bring the perpetrators to justice and make them pay for this offence.
‘Our investigative efforts have secured an arrest today, which will be the first step in delivering justice for residents and punishing those responsible.’
The 20ft-high pile of hazardous rubbish was illegally dumped in a field next to the A34 and River Cherwell near Kidlington in Oxfordshire
The 500ft-long dump has been described as one of the biggest fly-tips ever seen in Britain
Phil Davies, head of the joint unit for waste crime, said: ‘The Environment Agency is working closely with other law enforcement partners to identify and hold those responsible for the horrendous illegal dumping of waste that has taken place in Kidlington.
‘A number of active lines of investigation are being pursued by specialist officers.
‘We would ask that the public and media do not speculate about the identity of any other individuals who may be connected with the offending at this location, or interfere with the waste on site as we continue to treat it as an active crime scene.’
Dramatic drone footage taken from above revealed the sheer enormity of the rubbish, located just metres from the River Cherwell.
Claire Robertson, Oxford Rivers Project Officer at environmental charity Thames21, told the Daily Mail: ‘This is one of the most distressing cases of environmental neglect we’ve seen on the River Cherwell, if not in all of Oxfordshire.
‘If this waste isn’t contained, every storm and flood, will carry fragments of this plastic further downstream — poisoning wildlife, suffocating habitats, and leaving a legacy of pollution that could last thousands of years.
‘We need swift, coordinated action now — before it’s too late.’
It was hard to distinguish any particular bits of waste in the fly-tip as it appeared to have been shredded, with earth mixed in.
The site was first discovered by the Kidlington Angling Society, and has been described by activists as ‘horrendous’.
The fly-tip was discovered last month by horrified anglers and contains plastic, foam and wood
Calum Miller, Liberal Democrat MP for Bicester and Woodstock, raised the issue in Parliament.
Addressing MPs last Thursday, he said: ‘Criminals have dumped a mountain of illegal plastic waste… weighing hundreds of tonnes, in my constituency on a floodplain adjacent to the River Cherwell.
‘River levels are rising and heatmaps show that the waste is also heating up, raising the risk of fire.
‘The Environment Agency said it has limited resources for enforcement, that the estimated cost of removal is greater than the entire annual budget of the local district council.’
Responding, environment minister Mary Creagh said Labour inherited a ‘failing’ waste system that has caused an ‘epidemic of illegal fly-tipping’.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: ‘Specialist officers are investigating waste dumped near the A34 at Kidlington. Their role will be to find who left the waste there and take appropriate action.
‘We share the public’s anger about incidents like this, which is why we take action against those responsible for waste crime. Anyone with information about this incident, or if they suspect waste crime elsewhere, can call the Environment Agency’s 24-hour incident hotline: 0800 807060.’
