Two men have been arrested as part of an investigation into the 20,000-tonne illegal waste dump in Kidlington, Oxfordshire.
The Environment Agency said a 69-year-old man was arrested in Andover, while a 54-year-old male was apprehended in Slough in connection with the incident.
Both men were arrested for environmental and money laundering offences and have now been released on bail.
Last year, a 39 year old man was arrested as part of the investigation into the illegal waste site.
Emma Viner, Enforcement and Investigations Manager in the Environment Agency’s National Environmental Crime Unit, said the arrests were a ‘vital step’ in collecting new evidence and progressing the investigation.
The investigation is being led by the Environment Agency’s National Environmental Crime Unit in coordination with Oxfordshire County Council, Thames Valley Police, and National Highways.
Commenting on the arrests, Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: “The illegal dumping of waste at Kidlington is appalling and has caused significant damage to the environment and distress to the local community.”
“The government is committed to stamping out this type of criminality across the country, by boosting funds to tackle waste crime, hiring more officers and introducing tougher checks and penalties for those who break the law.”
Clearance to begin in February
Acumen Waste Services has been contracted to remove the waste and are set to commence work at the end of February. Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh previously said the clearance will take approximately six to nine months.
Cherwell District Council first became aware of illegal activity on the Kidlington site in June and contacted the Environment Agency, which conducted a site visit in July.
The Environment Agency issued a cease-and-desist letter to the landowner that month. The regulator later secured a court order to close all public access to the site and prevent further tipping on 23 October.
The 16-week gap between the cease-and-desist letter and the court order has led to criticism from inside the waste sector and from legal professionals.