Fly-tippers submerge countryside in enormous heap of garbage
Witness
Illegal dumpers have discarded a massive amount of waste in a rural area in Oxfordshire.
The "ecological disaster unfolding in plain sight" is approximately 150m (490ft) extending and 6m (20ft) in height.
The enormous pile has appeared in a open area alongside the River Cherwell in the vicinity of Kidlington.
Elected official highlighted the issue in parliament, declaring it was "posing risk of an environmental emergency".
Conservation group said the unlawful rubbish dump was created about a month ago by an organised crime group.
"This represents an environmental crisis developing in public view.
"Every day that goes by elevates the threat of poisonous run-off reaching the aquatic network, contaminating animals and putting at risk the health of the entire watershed.
"Regulatory bodies must act now, not in months or years, which is their typical reaction time."
Access ban had been implemented by the regulatory body.
It is hard to identify any individual pieces of rubbish as it appears to have been broken up with soil blended.
Some of the waste from the top of the heap has collapsed and is now only five metres from the river.
The River Cherwell is a feeder stream of the River Thames, which indicates it travels through Oxford before meeting the Thames.
Parliament TV
The MP petitioned the authorities for support to clear the illegal tip before it triggered a fire or was washed away into the river system.
Speaking to elected representatives on recently, he said: "Illegal operators have deposited a mountain of unlawful synthetic materials... totaling hundreds of tonnes, in my electoral area on a water-adjacent land alongside the River Cherwell.
"Water heights are rising and thermal imaging indicate that the waste is also increasing in temperature, raising the risk of fire.
"Regulatory body reported it has limited capabilities for regulation, that the estimated cost of clearance is larger than the whole annual allocation of the regional government."
Government official commented the administration had assumed responsibility for a underperforming recycling sector that had caused an "growing issue of unauthorized dumping".
She advised MPs the agency had served a prohibition notice to stop further access to the area.
In a statement, the agency said it was investigating the incident and appealed for evidence.
It commented: "We acknowledge the public's concern about occurrences like this, which is why we respond against those responsible for environmental offenses."
A recent investigation discovered attempts to tackle major waste crime have been "severely under-prioritised" despite the issue growing bigger and more complex.
Government advisors recommended an separate "thorough" investigation into how "endemic" waste crime is dealt with.
