Illegal dumpers cover field in mountain of rubbish
Billy Burnell
Illegal dumpers have dumped a huge quantity of waste in a open space in Oxfordshire.
The "ecological disaster occurring in plain sight" is around 150m (490ft) extending and 6m (20ft) high.
The huge mound has been discovered in a plot of land adjacent to the River Cherwell close to Kidlington.
A local MP raised the problem in parliament, saying it was "risking an environmental disaster".
Conservation group reported the unlawful rubbish dump was formed about a few weeks back by an organised crime group.
"This represents an ecological disaster developing in public view.
"Each day that passes raises the risk of hazardous seepage reaching the river system, polluting fauna and putting at risk the condition of the whole watershed.
"The Environment Agency must respond now, not in months or years, which is their standard response period."
Access ban had been implemented by the Environment Agency.
It is difficult to identify any specific bits of garbage as it appears to have been shredded with earth combined.
Some of the rubbish from the top of the mound has collapsed and is now merely five metres from the stream.
The River Cherwell is a tributary of the River Thames, which signifies it travels through Oxford before joining the Thames.
Official recording
The official requested the government for help to clear the unauthorized dump before it caused a fire or was washed away into the water network.
Informing parliament members on this week, he stated: "Lawbreakers have dumped a massive amount of illegal polymer rubbish... amounting to hundreds of tonnes, in my constituency on a floodplain adjacent to the River Cherwell.
"Stream volumes are increasing and temperature readings show that the garbage is also increasing in temperature, raising the threat of combustion.
"The Environment Agency stated it has inadequate funding for enforcement, that the estimated price of removal is higher than the whole yearly allocation of the municipal authority."
Environment minister stated the government had assumed responsibility for a failing recycling sector that had caused an "growing issue of illegal waste disposal".
She advised representatives the agency had implemented a restriction order to stop more access to the site.
In a statement, the agency said it was examining the situation and appealed for information.
It stated: "We share the community's concern about occurrences like this, which is why we respond against those responsible for environmental offenses."
A recent study determined attempts to combat serious waste crime have been "extremely overlooked" even though the situation growing bigger and more sophisticated.
A parliamentary committee proposed an independent "comprehensive" examination into how "prevalent" waste crime is tackled.