Major clean-up has begun

Trucks have begun removing mountains of illegally dumped waste at Kidlington.

An estimated 21,000 tonnes of commercial, industrial and household waste, including shredded plastic and household rubbish will be dug up and removed.

Specialist teams from our contractor Acumen Waste Services Ltd will work at pace, shifting around 15 to 30 lorry loads a day to clear the site and tackle the damage caused by the organised criminal group. We expect the operation to last around 6 months.

This is part of a nationwide crackdown on waste criminals and drive to restore pride in local communities. Work continues on the investigation to bring those responsible to justice. Since the dumping took place, four people have already been arrested by the Environment Agency and its partners.

Please visit our press release Major clean up begins at Kidlington waste site or view this short video for more detail.

We continue a nationwide crackdown on organised waste crime. Last month, the government published a Waste Crime Action Plan. This includes issuing penalty points for drivers found to have illegally dumped waste, and looking at giving the Environment Agency police-style powers to clamp down on offenders faster.

As part of our 10 Point Plan on Waste Crime, we will act earlier to address illegal activity and deliver more consistent enforcement action. This includes suspending or revoking permits, making greater use of restriction notices and naming and shaming illegal waste operators.