Fly-tippers bury countryside in enormous heap of rubbish

Billy Burnell

Waste criminals have discarded a huge quantity of waste in a rural area in Oxfordshire.

The "environmental catastrophe unfolding in plain sight" is up to 150m (490ft) in length and 6m (20ft) in height.

The massive pile has been discovered in a plot of land alongside the River Cherwell near Kidlington.

Elected official raised the issue in parliament, declaring it was "posing risk of an environmental emergency".

An environmental charity reported the unauthorized rubbish dump was formed about a few weeks back by an organised crime group.

"This constitutes an environmental catastrophe developing in full view.

"Each day that passes raises the risk of toxic seepage getting into the river system, poisoning fauna and endangering the wellbeing of the complete river basin.

"Environmental authorities must take action immediately, not in the distant future, which is their usual action timeframe."

Access ban had been established by the regulatory body.

It is challenging to identify any specific items of garbage as it looks to have been broken up with dirt mixed in.

A portion of the rubbish from the peak of the heap has collapsed and is now merely five meters from the river.

The River Cherwell is a feeder stream of the River Thames, which signifies it flows through Oxford before joining the Thames.

Parliament TV

The official requested the administration for support to remove the illegal tip before it caused a fire or was swept into the river system.

Informing parliament members on Thursday, he declared: "Illegal operators have dumped a huge quantity of unauthorized plastic waste... totaling many tons, in my constituency on a riverside area next to the River Cherwell.

"River levels are growing and temperature readings demonstrate that the waste is also heating up, elevating the danger of blaze.

"Regulatory body stated it has limited funding for enforcement, that the projected price of clearance is larger than the entire yearly funding of the municipal authority."

Government official said the administration had taken over a failing disposal business that had resulted in an "growing issue of illegal dumping".

She advised parliament members the authority had implemented a access ban to prevent more entry to the location.

In a declaration, the organization confirmed it was examining the situation and requested for details.

It said: "We share the community's anger about situations like this, which is why we respond against those accountable for waste crime."

A recently published report determined initiatives to combat serious waste crime have been "severely neglected" despite the problem growing bigger and more complex.

A parliamentary committee proposed an separate "root and branch" examination into how "widespread" waste crime is dealt with.