Illegal dumpers bury field in mountain of rubbish
Billy Burnell
Illegal dumpers have discarded a mountain of garbage in a rural area in Oxfordshire.
The "environmental crisis developing in public view" is approximately 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) in height.
The huge pile has materialized in a plot of land next to the River Cherwell close to Kidlington.
A local MP raised the issue in parliament, declaring it was "threatening an ecological catastrophe".
Conservation group reported the unauthorized waste site was formed around a month ago by an illegal operation.
"This represents an environmental catastrophe unfolding in plain sight.
"Each day that goes by elevates the danger of poisonous run-off entering the river system, polluting animals and threatening the wellbeing of the complete river basin.
"Regulatory bodies must respond now, not in the distant future, which is their usual response period."
A restriction order had been established by the Environment Agency.
It is challenging to identify any individual bits of rubbish as it appears to have been shredded with earth blended.
Part of the rubbish from the top of the mound has collapsed and is now just five meters from the stream.
The River Cherwell is a branch of the River Thames, which indicates it travels through Oxford before meeting the Thames.
Official recording
The MP requested the administration for help to clear the unauthorized dump before it triggered a fire or was washed away into the river system.
Informing parliament members on this week, he stated: "Criminals have discarded a huge quantity of unauthorized polymer rubbish... weighing hundreds of tonnes, in my district on a riverside area adjacent to the River Cherwell.
"Stream volumes are rising and temperature readings demonstrate that the garbage is also increasing in temperature, raising the danger of fire.
"Regulatory body said it has limited funding for enforcement, that the estimated price of clearance is greater than the complete twelve-month allocation of the municipal authority."
Cabinet member said the government had inherited a struggling disposal business that had caused an "growing issue of illegal dumping".
She advised representatives the agency had implemented a restriction order to halt additional entry to the location.
In a declaration, the authority stated it was looking into the matter and requested for information.
It commented: "We acknowledge the community's concern about incidents like this, which is why we respond against those accountable for illegal dumping."
A recently published investigation found initiatives to tackle major environmental offenses have been "severely under-prioritised" notwithstanding the situation developing into more extensive and more advanced.
Government advisors suggested an independent "comprehensive" investigation into how "prevalent" waste crime is dealt with.