A vast illegal waste dump, containing rubbish from primary schools and local authorities, is causing an environmental crisis in Oxfordshire, with evidence pointing to potential large-scale corruption in waste management.
A Mountain of Waste in a Floodplain
In a field between the River Cherwell and the A34 near Kidlington, a rotting mound of waste approximately 150 metres long and up to 6 metres high was festering this week. The site, which is on a floodplain, has already seen waste leaching into the river following recent heavy rain, raising alarms about severe pollution.
An investigation has revealed that some of the illegally dumped material can be traced back to primary schools and local authorities in south-east England. Paul Powlesland, a barrister and founder of Lawyers for Nature, stated this was deeply concerning evidence. He warned, “If confirmed this shows the waste is the result of large-scale fraud or corruption in local authority waste management.”
Organised Crime and a Failing System
The local MP for Bicester and Woodstock, Calum Miller, is urgently calling on the government to clear the dump before it's too late for the river. He criticised the Environment Agency, stating it is not equipped to handle this unfolding environmental disaster.
“This incident highlights the fact that organised criminal gangs are carefully planning operations to dump industrial waste in the countryside,” Miller said. This is part of a national problem; organised crime groups are involved in waste crime that costs the UK taxpayer an estimated £1 billion a year.
Evidence given to a House of Lords inquiry revealed that about 38 million tonnes of waste are illegally dumped annually in the UK, enough to fill Wembley Stadium 35 times. Criminal gangs can make around £2,500 per articulated lorry-load by charging for legitimate landfill disposal but then diverting the waste to illegal sites.
Environmental Catastrophe and Pleas for Action
Anya Gleizer, a local river guardian for the Cherwell, described the scene as an environmental hazard. “This waste is an environmental hazard to river ecosystems and biodiversity, and a threat to human health. It is full of microplastics which are leaching into the soil and the water. The pile contains hydrocarbons, there are fuel canisters and heavy metal,” she said.
She and local councillors have begged the Environment Agency to install physical barriers as a minimum measure to prevent more plastic from entering the river. Liberal Democrat county councillor Laura Gordon echoed the urgency, noting the area is highly liable to flooding and the river level is already rising.
Despite the Environment Agency launching a major criminal investigation and securing a court order to close the site, it has stated it will not clear the waste itself. Instead, it aims to “ensure those responsible” for the dump clear it up. Satellite imagery, however, shows the mountain of rubbish accumulated between June and September while the agency said it was monitoring the area.
A local pensioner, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, reported seeing lorries arriving in broad daylight, sounding foghorns to gain entry to the site.
