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Two men have been detained as part of an investigation into the illegal deposit of many thousands of tonnes of waste in a open field in Oxfordshire.

Authorities reported that a 69-year-old was detained at a property in Hampshire's Andover, while a 54-year-old was taken into custody in Slough, Berkshire in association with the massive mound of waste dumped near the area of Kidlington.

These arrests come after a recent investigation which uncovered the presence of in excess of 500 illegal dumps in England, including at a minimum of 11 so-called "large-scale sites" bigger than 20,000 metric tons.

A representative for the regulatory body commented that the apprehensions were for environment-related and money laundering offences and constituted a "crucial step" in active inquiries. Both men have been set free on pre-trial release.

Size of the Problem

The illegal site in the Kidlington area, located between the river Cherwell and the A34, is thought to hold about 21,000 metric tons of rubbish in a pile which is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) tall.

This pile of garbage is consists of what looks to be processed household refuse, chopped up plastics, polystyrene, automobile tires and assorted everyday items.

It is just one of 517 unlawful tips in England, at a minimum of 11 of which contain more than 20,000 tonnes of rubbish. They encompass a 280,000-tonne area in Cheshire, two 50,000-tonne locations in Lancashire and Cornwall county and a 36,000-tonne tip in Kent.

The total amount of such major locations is likely to be higher, as the environment body has in the past stated it does not possess information on weight for every illegal site.

A large proportion of sites are in rural locations, typically hidden, and on land that should be farm property.

Organized Activity

Authorities say a significant number are operated by organized crime groups, who are earning cash by asking for significantly less than legitimate companies to take and bury rubbish.

Companies have to be liable for gate fees to use lawful waste facilities, depending on the volume and category of material they are trying to dispose of, and a waste tax is also applied at just over £126 per tonne.

Community Outrage

Preparatory efforts to clear the Kidlington area site started recently following concerns over the risk of fire and the effect that would have on the close-by highway.

A private clean-up company has been awarded the job to deal with the area over the coming 12 months at a price of £9.6m.

An enforcement official for the national environmental crime division commented that the authority would be aiming to claim back the clearance funds under proceeds of crime laws from any party prosecuted at the conclusion of its active investigation.

She added that the recent apprehensions would help "move the probe forward" and enable authorities to "investigate more avenues to understand in detail what occurred and who was a party to it".

"The unlawful site at the site was an shocking and calculated assault on our environment and we share the local anger at this terrible act," she said.

A government official welcomed the actions, commenting: "The illegal deposit of waste at this location is disgraceful and has resulted in significant damage to the natural world and anguish to the surrounding population.

"The administration is committed to eliminating this kind of criminality in the country, by augmenting resources to combat illegal dumping, hiring more staff and implementing stricter checks and penalties for those who violate the rules."

The arrests were executed on Thursday by officers from a specialist organised crime squad and are in addition to an earlier arrest of a man in his thirties from the Guildford area in November. He was released subject to more inquiries.