More waste has been discovered buried under a thick layer of soil during the clean-up of the infamous 21,000-tonne waste dump in Kidlington.
Most of the waste has now been removed from the dump on land near the A34 in Kidlington, Oxfordshire. However, contractors discovered more waste buried under the site after removing the stone base on which the temporary site cabins were located.
The site compound, cabins and track matting for heavy vehicles were removed in early July as the clearance nears its conclusion.
Currently, work is being done to remove the remaining waste around the site perimeter using a mechanical digger and then finishing by hand to avoid further damage to tree roots.
The dump consisted of commercial and household waste, including tyres, shredded plastic, and household rubbish.
Acumen Waste Services Ltd has been contracted to remove the waste, which is set to cost £8 million.
The operation was previously delayed by two months after heavy rainfall meant heavy vehicles were unable to operate on the site.
An organised criminal gang is believed to have dumped the waste across 8,000 square metres of land near the A34 in Kidlington – an area larger than the pitch at Wembley Stadium. Four people have been arrested as part of the investigation into the illegal waste dump.
Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs at the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), Dan Cooke, told the BBC that criminals could have made well over £500,000 from dumping the waste.
The clearance operation is set to conclude over the coming weeks as the team continue to remove all the remaining waste from the fields, land and habitat.
The Environment Agency says a Public Rights of Way Officer from Oxfordshire County Council has visited the area to make recommendations for the eventual reopening of the public footpath that runs through the site.