🔗 Share this article

---

Fly-tippers have deposited a massive amount of rubbish in a rural area in Oxfordshire.

The "environmental catastrophe unfolding in full view" is around 150m (490ft) extending and 6m (20ft) high.

The massive pile has appeared in a plot of land alongside the River Cherwell near Kidlington.

Parliament representative brought up the problem in parliament, saying it was "posing risk of an ecological catastrophe".

Conservation group said the unlawful garbage pile was formed approximately a recently by an organised crime group.

"This is an ecological disaster unfolding in full view.

"Daily that elapses raises the risk of toxic run-off reaching the river system, poisoning wildlife and endangering the condition of the complete watershed.

"Regulatory bodies must respond immediately, not in extended periods, which is their standard action timeframe."

A restriction order had been put in place by the environmental authorities.

It is difficult to identify any individual pieces of rubbish as it looks to have been shredded with dirt mixed in.

Some of the garbage from the top of the pile has collapsed and is now merely five feet from the stream.

The River Cherwell is a branch of the River Thames, which indicates it travels through Oxford before connecting with the Thames.

The representative asked the authorities for assistance to remove the unauthorized dump before it resulted in a blaze or was washed away into the water network.

Informing parliament members on Thursday, he declared: "Illegal operators have discarded a huge quantity of unauthorized synthetic materials... totaling many tons, in my district on a water-adjacent land next to the River Cherwell.

"Stream volumes are increasing and heatmaps show that the rubbish is also heating up, elevating the risk of combustion.

"Regulatory body stated it has inadequate funding for enforcement, that the anticipated cost of clearance is higher than the complete annual budget of the regional government."

Cabinet member commented the government had assumed responsibility for a underperforming disposal business that had caused an "widespread problem of unauthorized dumping".

She advised parliament members the agency had implemented a prohibition notice to prevent more entry to the site.

In a declaration, the agency stated it was looking into the incident and appealed for information.

It commented: "We acknowledge the community's concern about incidents like this, which is why we respond against those accountable for environmental offenses."

A recently published investigation found initiatives to tackle significant environmental offenses have been "extremely neglected" notwithstanding the situation developing into larger and more sophisticated.

A parliamentary committee suggested an separate "thorough" inquiry into how "endemic" illegal dumping is dealt with.