Illegal waste site near Kidlington

In the Thames area, we regulate a large number of permitted sites, including factories, landfills and agricultural producers. Over time, this page will highlight the sites that we receive the highest level of interest for.

We are currently using this page to share information about the illegal waste site near Kidlington, Oxford. You will find the latest news, information and frequently asked questions and answers about our work

If you are interested in another site please email our customer and enquiries team.

If you have information or are concerned about another site, please call our pollution hotline on 0800 80 70 60 or use this link to find out more about how to report an environmental issue. Or you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously.

Footpath closure: In the interests of public safety, Oxfordshire County Council have temporarily closed Footpath 9 [237/9] from the Bicester Road, Gosford, to the East side of the A34, due to the illegal waste deposit. You can find more detail and a map in the Information bar.

Please do not enter the site. It is dangerous to climb on the waste, you are putting yourself at risk and compromising the criminal investigation, which is a criminal offence. There is 24 hour surveillance in place.

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If you are interested in another site please email our customer and enquiries team.

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Latest updates from THM

Contract awarded for waste removal  

We are pleased to announce that the Environment Agency has directly awarded the waste removal contract to Acumen Waste Services Limited at the illegal waste site in Kidlington. Acumen have significant experience of this work and have worked with the Environment Agency at Hoads Wood in Kent
The supplier will provide a full end-to-end waste management service, including site preparation, waste characterisation, segregation, safe handling, loading, transport, and disposal at appropriately permitted facilities. For full details please visit Kidlington Waste Clearance - Find a Tender
Update on preparatory works to enable removal of waste

On 7 January 2026 Oxfordshire County Council Tree Service began work to prepare the site entrance for waste removal, which is expected to start in February. The work involved removing 7 small trees from the entrance to the site. This work is needed to ensure the safety of those entering and leaving the site. The Council have carried out this work now to avoid the bird nesting season, and to ensure that restrictions to protect nesting birds do not cause delays once the waste removal begins. While we aim to avoid removing trees wherever possible, it is needed here, to create safe, clear vision for slow moving vehicles leaving the site and joining traffic once the official removal of waste begins.
Care has been taken by the Tree Service to ensure trees are only removed where essential. The team had previously surveyed the trees to make sure they were only removing necessary trees. Most of the trees are less than 15 cm in diameter. Two of the trees removed had unfortunately already been damaged during the illegal waste activity.
Oxfordshire County Council’s Tree Policy is to plant 2 standard trees to replace each tree felled that is greater than 15cm stem diameter.
The site remains securely closed with 24 hour surveillance taking place.
Update on waste removal, January 2026
Preparatory work will begin shortly, and the waste removal is expected to start in February. We will have a clearer timeline once we have completed preliminary work on site.
The scale of fire risk sets this case apart from other illegal waste sites in England and presents an overriding imperative for the public interest. As such, an exceptional decision was made to progress works to remove the waste from the site. It is a priority to get the site cleared as quickly as possible. We continue to work with partners and technical experts on a plan to ensure the waste is removed and disposed of safely and legally.
To help develop this plan we are:
- analysing the waste to identify the right places to dispose of it
- working with partners to identify responsible contractors to remove it
- taking advice to ensure compliance with legal requirements
- assessing logistics of the site to build a suitable site compound so that waste can safely be accessed and removed
- carrying out ecological surveys quickly, so that any necessary mitigations can be put in place to ensure this does not delay the removal of the waste.
A 39-year-old man from Surrey was arrested in November as part of a criminal investigation, which we are progressing at pace as we continue to gather evidence. We are working closely with the police to catch the criminals and bring them to justice.
We have taken samples of the waste materials on the site which are currently being forensically examined.
We have put up fencing around the site to secure it and prevent further illegal waste activity. There is 24 hour security on site and strict access restrictions.
Information about the scope and tender for this work can be accessed using this link Kidlington Waste Clearance - Find a Tender
Latest information: flooding and waste

Jumbo sandbag barrier
Construction of a barrier was completed on 28 November. The barrier is formed of jumbo sandbags between the waste and the river and 150 m of fencing. While the current risk of the waste entering the river is very low, the barrier has been installed as a precaution to protect the environment and prevent unauthorised access to the active crime scene. Prior to this a boom was installed in the ditch as a temporary measure to help prevent waste material flowing downstream.
With a flood alert being issued yesterday (18/12/25) we have been on site today checking that the mitigation we put in place is working effectively. Water levels were low around the waste. Photos below show some water against the sandbags, and that some rubbish is being held back by the Heras Fencing. You can also see that the water flowing away is free from any rubbish, showing that the sandbags and fencing is working to keep rubbish out of the Cherwell.
In this photo the waste pile can be seen in the background behind the sandbags and Heras fencing. You can see the water flowing away is free from any rubbish, showing that the sandbags and fencing is working to keep rubbish out of the Cherwell.
Sandbags in action – note that these are not intended to prevent water flowing but are there to hold back waste and prevent it from getting into the River Cherwell.

Flooding and waste
The waste pile sits within a large area of floodplain, which can store a substantial volume of water during periods of heavy rain.
We have carried out a more detailed flood risk assessment to understand any changes in water levels due to the illegal waste and have determined that there will not be any increased flood risk to local properties.
The existing raised flood defence that reduces the flood risk to some properties in Kidlington is located on the eastern side of the town, and the waste site is located east of the flood defence.

Our analysis has shown that flood water would increase approximately 2.5cm in the floodplain close to the waste site during a major flood. During a flood of this scale, the height of the flood water against the flood wall would be 30cm below the top of the flood wall. Therefore, a 2.5cm increase in flood level close to the waste site is not expected to increase flood risk to properties in Kidlington.

We will continue to monitor the situation and provide further updates if anything changes.

If residents have any concerns please call our 24 hour incident hotline 0800 80 70 60 or visit Report an environmental problem - GOV.UK

Map showing the approximate location of the flood walls and embankments that reduce flood risk to properties in Kidlington. Image courtesy of Environment Agency
Latest news - Kidlington illegal waste site

The Environment Agency is continuing to take action to protect our environment and the local community from the large-scale dumping of illegal waste near Kidlington. We will share regular updates via social media, our blog and on this Engagement HQ page.
New information and advice from the Fire and Rescue Services has indicated the increased possibility of a fire on site. As such, an exceptional decision has been made to progress works to entirely clear the site of waste. This will not be a quick process as we have to ensure this vast amount of waste is handled correctly, moved to the right facilities and is done so without causing further damage to the environment.
Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/clearance-work-to-begin-at-kidlington-waste-dump

We are actively monitoring the site and sampling water quality. Having sampled both upstream and downstream of the site, we have currently found no indication of pollution entering the River Cherwell because of the waste. The results have been posted to Engagement HQ. We will continue to monitor for signs of pollution from the site and will update the information on this site as and when it becomes available.

Construction of a barrier was completed on 28 November. The barrier is formed of jumbo sandbags between the waste and the river and 150 m of fencing. While the current risk of the waste entering the river is very low, the barrier has been installed as a precaution to protect the environment and prevent unauthorised access to the active crime scene. Prior to this a boom was installed in the ditch as a temporary measure to help prevent waste material flowing downstream

On Tuesday 25 November, an individual was arrested in connection with illegal waste dumping at the Kidlington site. This marks a significant step forward in the investigation, which is being led by our colleagues in the National Environmental Crime Unit. We have issued a press release on the arrest, which can be read here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/individual-arrested-in-connection-with-kidlington-illegal-waste-dumping.
Press release - 11 December

Clearance work to begin at Kidlington waste dump
Planning work has begun to clear the illegal waste dump in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, the Environment Agency has announced on Thursday 11 December.
New information regarding the likelihood and potential impact of a fire at the site means that an exceptional decision has been made to progress works to entirely clear the site of waste.
Following the appalling large-scale dumping of waste earlier in the summer, Environment Agency officers have been working round the clock to monitor the site, restrict access to prevent further dumping, install environmental safeguards and consider next steps to ensure the community is protected.
The Environment Agency is not legally responsible for clearing illegal waste, and is not funded to do so. While the organisation continues to support the principle that the criminals responsible should cover the costs of clearance, it retains the power to take action in wholly exceptional circumstances.
Additional advice from the Fire and Rescue Services has indicated the possibility of a fire on site, which could have widespread impacts on the community, including closing the A34 major highway, raising air quality issues from the smoke, and interrupting electrical supplies.
The scale of this fire risk sets this case apart from other illegal waste dumps in England and presents an overriding public imperative. As such, preparatory works for clearance will begin imminently. Further details on the timeframe for clearance will be set out shortly.
Environment Agency chief executive Philip Duffy said:
The brazen criminality at Kidlington has appalled all of us at the Environment Agency. Our local teams have been at this site working with partners to reduce harm and minimise risks while we pursue those responsible.
This week, new information on the risk of fire was received from the Fire and Rescue Services and the Police and a decision made to clear the site as soon as possible on a wholly exceptional basis. The EA and our local partners are now working through the most effective way to manage this work.
We will update the public on progress with that as soon as we are able. We are determined that waste criminals will see justice for this serious offending.
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said:
This site has been a blight on the community.
I’ve been in regular conversations with the Environment Agency and strongly welcome the decision to clear the site. I will continue working with them to make sure that those responsible pay for their crimes.
The Environment Agency expects to fund the clearance efforts through making efficiencies in its operations, without impacting or scaling back any of its other services. However it is not funded to clear up waste sites nationally and will only make these decisions under truly exceptional circumstances.
We will continue to work closely with local partners to manage the risks from the site and ensure the community is protected. Additional security measures have been installed and we are closely monitoring the location.
Further details will be set out in due course.
Press release - 2 December

Simon Hawkins, the Environment Agency's Director of Operations for East and South East England and Robin Rogers, Director for Economy and Place at Oxfordshire County Council, said:
“Partner agencies have been working closely together to monitor the potential community and environment impacts from the illegal Kidlington waste dump and manage any risks and have agreed a strategic objective to look at all options for clearing the site.
“We have agreed to work together to tackle clearing the waste in a safe manner as soon as possible. We will set out further details around options and timeframes shortly.”