One of the largest illegal fly-tips ever recorded in Britain has been discovered in Oxfordshire, creating a 500-foot-long mountain of hazardous rubbish that activists are branding an environmental catastrophe.
A Horrific Discovery by the River
The massive dump, which stands 20 feet high, was found in a field adjacent to the A34 and the River Cherwell, close to Kidlington. It is believed the entire mountain of waste, comprising shredded plastic, foam, and wood mixed with earth, was dumped in a single, brazen act.
The shocking site was first uncovered last month by horrified members of the Kidlington Angling Society. Some of the unstable pile has already collapsed, bringing dangerous waste to within just five metres of the river's edge.
Rising Tensions and Political Alarm
The situation has escalated to the highest levels of government, with local Liberal Democrat MP Calum Miller raising the urgent matter in Parliament. He detailed how the hundreds of tonnes of plastic waste are sitting on a floodplain, with rising river levels and internal heatmaps indicating a growing risk of fire.
Charity Friends of the Thames told the BBC, "This is an environmental catastrophe unfolding in plain sight." They warned that every day of inaction increases the threat of toxic runoff poisoning the river system and its wildlife.
An Investigation Hampered by Resources
While the Environment Agency has confirmed it has launched an investigation, the scale of the problem is daunting. MP Miller revealed that the agency cited limited resources for enforcement, noting that the estimated cost of removal is greater than the entire annual budget of the local district council.
In response, Environment Minister Mary Creagh stated that the Labour government had inherited a "failing" waste system, which has contributed to an "epidemic of illegal fly-tipping."
The Environment Agency is urging anyone with information to come forward, encouraging calls to the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
