Illegal dumpers cover field in enormous heap of waste
Witness
Fly-tippers have discarded a massive amount of waste in a field in Oxfordshire.
The "environmental crisis unfolding in public view" is up to 150m (490ft) extending and 6m (20ft) in height.
The huge pile has been discovered in a plot of land next to the River Cherwell near Kidlington.
A local MP highlighted the problem in parliament, stating it was "threatening an environmental disaster".
An environmental charity stated the unauthorized rubbish dump was formed about a month ago by an illegal operation.
"This represents an ecological disaster unfolding in public view.
"Daily that goes by raises the danger of toxic run-off reaching the aquatic network, polluting animals and putting at risk the health of the complete catchment.
"Environmental authorities must take action now, not in months or years, which is their standard reaction time."
A restriction order had been implemented by the environmental authorities.
It is challenging to identify any individual bits of rubbish as it appears to have been pulverized with soil combined.
A portion of the garbage from the uppermost part of the pile has toppled and is now only five metres from the waterway.
The River Cherwell is a feeder stream of the River Thames, which signifies it travels through Oxford before connecting with the Thames.
Parliament TV
The official requested the government for help to clear the illegal site before it caused a inferno or was washed away into the aquatic system.
Speaking to elected representatives on this week, he stated: "Criminals have dumped a mountain of unauthorized polymer rubbish... weighing many tons, in my constituency on a floodplain alongside the River Cherwell.
"River levels are increasing and heatmaps show that the rubbish is also increasing in temperature, increasing the risk of fire.
"The Environment Agency stated it has restricted resources for regulation, that the anticipated price of disposal is larger than the complete annual allocation of the regional government."
Government official stated the administration had assumed responsibility for a struggling waste industry that had resulted in an "growing issue of unauthorized waste disposal".
She told parliament members the agency had implemented a prohibition notice to prevent more admission to the site.
In a announcement, the agency stated it was looking into the incident and requested for information.
It stated: "We acknowledge the community's anger about incidents like this, which is why we take action against those responsible for environmental offenses."
A recently published investigation found initiatives to tackle major environmental offenses have been "severely neglected" despite the situation growing larger and more advanced.
A parliamentary committee recommended an independent "comprehensive" investigation into how "prevalent" waste crime is addressed.
