A mountain of waste branded “utterly appalling” by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer grew so quickly that most of it was in place before the Environment Agency (EA) was even aware of it.
Sky News revealed this week how the site in Oxfordshire, next to the A34, went from a grassy field in March to a pile of rubbish 12 metres/40ft thick in September.
Sir Keir has called the scene “utterly appalling” while the EA says it is “laser focused” on pursuing the perpetrators.
Anna Burns, the agency’s director for the Thames area, said those responsible would pay for the “blight on the landscape” they had left.
She said: “Most of the tipping happened before we were aware of it. As soon as we were aware, we acted quickly and decisively.
“We are pursuing this as a criminal investigation and currently following a number of leads, and we are laser focused on pursing that investigation.
“And we are working with partners to understand the risks associated with the site.
“I completely understand why communities want this waste gone, it’s a blight on the landscape.”
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She added that the waste appeared to be shredded domestic and commercial waste, like plastic and paper, which is non-hazardous, though it may also include items like batteries.
At the site this week, Sky spotted an old DVD, tooth floss and AA batteries at the edge of a waste pile.
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Ms Burns’ remarks come as the EA convenes a meeting about the site with organisations including Thames Valley Police, National Highways, and the local authority.
The agency first visited the site at the beginning of July, after it was reported to them, and issued a cease-and-desist letter to stop further tipping.
After more dumping was then discovered, officers secured a court order to close down the site in October.
Now the EA is monitoring water run-off from the site and has installed a boom there to try to prevent leakage into the nearby River Cherwell.
Earlier this week, Calum Miller, Liberal Democrat MP for Bicester and Woodstock, told Sky News that the clean-up operation could exceed the entire yearly budget for Cherwell District Council.
