Fly-tippers bury field in mountain of rubbish
Witness
Fly-tippers have discarded a huge quantity of rubbish in a open space in Oxfordshire.
The "environmental catastrophe unfolding in full view" is up to 150m (490ft) long and 6m (20ft) high.
The huge pile has been discovered in a plot of land next to the River Cherwell close to Kidlington.
A local MP highlighted the problem in parliament, declaring it was "risking an ecological catastrophe".
Conservation group reported the unlawful waste site was created around a recently by an illegal operation.
"This represents an environmental crisis unfolding in public view.
"Every day that passes raises the danger of toxic run-off getting into the aquatic network, polluting fauna and threatening the health of the whole catchment.
"Regulatory bodies must respond immediately, not in months or years, which is their standard response period."
Legal prohibition had been established by the environmental authorities.
It is difficult to distinguish any individual pieces of rubbish as it looks to have been pulverized with earth mixed in.
Some of the waste from the peak of the pile has fallen and is now merely five meters from the stream.
The River Cherwell is a feeder stream of the River Thames, which signifies it travels through Oxford before connecting with the Thames.
Official recording
The representative asked the authorities for assistance to remove the illegal site before it resulted in a fire or was washed away into the water network.
Speaking to parliament members on recently, he declared: "Lawbreakers have discarded a massive amount of illegal polymer rubbish... totaling substantial weight, in my constituency on a riverside area next to the River Cherwell.
"River levels are increasing and temperature readings demonstrate that the waste is also warming, raising the danger of fire.
"The Environment Agency stated it has inadequate resources for compliance, that the estimated price of disposal is higher than the whole twelve-month allocation of the local district council."
Government official commented the administration had assumed responsibility for a struggling recycling sector that had created an "growing issue of illegal waste disposal".
She advised parliament members the organization had served a prohibition notice to halt additional entry to the location.
In a announcement, the organization said it was investigating the matter and appealed for evidence.
It commented: "We acknowledge the public's anger about situations like this, which is why we intervene against those responsible for illegal dumping."
A recent investigation discovered efforts to combat major waste crime have been "severely neglected" notwithstanding the situation growing larger and more advanced.
The Environment and Climate Change Committee proposed an autonomous "comprehensive" investigation into how "prevalent" illegal dumping is dealt with.