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A pair of individuals have been detained as a component of an inquiry into the tipping of several thousand of tons of waste in a open field in Oxfordshire.

Authorities reported that a 69-year-old was apprehended at a dwelling in the town of Andover, while a man in his fifties was arrested in Slough, Berkshire in relation with the massive pile of garbage tipped near the area of Kidlington.

These apprehensions follow a recent investigation which uncovered the operation of in excess of 500 unauthorized tips in England, including at a minimum of 11 so-called "major sites" larger than 20,000 metric tons.

A spokeswoman for the environment agency said that the arrests were for environmental and financial violations and constituted a "key step" in active investigations. The two individuals have been released on pre-trial release.

Magnitude of the Problem

The illegal site in Kidlington, positioned between the river Cherwell and the A34, is estimated to hold about 21,000 tons of waste in a mound which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) high.

This heap of rubbish is made up of what looks to be processed residential waste, chopped up plastic items, expanded polystyrene, automobile tires and various household articles.

It is just one of 517 illegal dumps across the country, at least 11 of which are estimated to hold over 20,000 tonnes of garbage. They feature a 280,000-tonne area in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne locations in Lancashire and Cornwall and a 36,000-tonne site in Kent.

The overall amount of such major locations is likely to be higher, as the environment body has in the past acknowledged it does not maintain information on volume for all unauthorized tip.

A large proportion of these sites are in countryside locations, frequently concealed, and on land that should be agricultural ground.

Organised Operations

Authorities say a significant number are managed by criminal organizations, who are earning money by charging far less than licensed firms to accept and landfill waste.

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

Public Frustration

Preparatory work to clean up the affected dump began earlier this month amid concerns over the risk of blaze and the effect that would have on the close-by A-road.

A private clean-up company has been awarded the task to remediate the area over the following 12 months at a expense of £9.6m.

An enforcement manager for the country's environment division stated that the agency would be looking to claim back the clearance costs under asset recovery laws from any individual ultimately prosecuted at the end of its ongoing inquiry.

She noted that this week's arrests would help "drive the investigation forward" and enable authorities to "pursue more lines of inquiry to determine exactly what happened and who was implicated".

"This unlawful dump at Kidlington was an appalling and calculated affront on our environment and we empathize with the community's anger at this horrific crime," she said.

A government official supported the detentions, adding: "This unauthorized tipping of garbage at Kidlington is appalling and has resulted in significant damage to the natural world and distress to the nearby community.

"The administration is pledged to stamping out this kind of criminality in the country, by increasing funds to combat illegal dumping, employing more staff and enacting stricter controls and penalties for those who break the rules."

The detentions were carried out on a recent Thursday by agents from a specialist crime squad and follow an prior arrest of a man in his thirties from the Surrey region in the autumn. He was set free pending further enquiries.