🔗 Share this article Illegal dumpers submerge countryside in massive pile of garbage Witness The area has been described as an "environmental crisis". Correspondent visited the scene and said the heap appeared to be "20ft high at least". Illegal dumpers have discarded a huge quantity of waste in a rural area in Oxfordshire. The "ecological disaster occurring in plain sight" is around 150m (490ft) long and 6m (20ft) high. The enormous pile has appeared in a open area adjacent to the River Cherwell in the vicinity of Kidlington. Parliament representative raised the problem in parliament, declaring it was "posing risk of an ecological catastrophe". An environmental charity said the unlawful rubbish dump was formed around a recently by an illegal operation. "This represents an ecological disaster unfolding in plain sight. "Every day that goes by elevates the risk of toxic run-off entering the river system, poisoning fauna and threatening the health of the complete watershed. "Environmental authorities must take action now, not in months or years, which is their standard response period." Legal prohibition had been implemented by the regulatory body. It is hard to distinguish any individual items of rubbish as it appears to have been pulverized with earth combined. Some of the waste from the top of the heap has toppled and is now merely five feet from the waterway. The River Cherwell is a branch of the River Thames, which means it runs through Oxford before meeting the Thames. Parliament TV Elected official stated the expense of removing the garbage would be substantial The representative requested the authorities for assistance to remove the illegal site before it triggered a blaze or was swept into the water network. Informing parliament members on Thursday, he stated: "Lawbreakers have deposited a mountain of illegal plastic waste... amounting to hundreds of tonnes, in my district on a water-adjacent land adjacent to the River Cherwell. "Water heights are rising and thermal imaging show that the garbage is also heating up, raising the threat of blaze. "Regulatory body said it has restricted funding for enforcement, that the projected price of clearance is higher than the complete yearly funding of the municipal authority." Cabinet member said the administration had inherited a struggling waste industry that had caused an "growing issue of illegal fly-tipping". She informed MPs the organization had issued a prohibition notice to prevent more admission to the location. In a announcement, the agency stated it was investigating the matter and requested for details. It commented: "We understand the citizens' anger about situations like this, which is why we take action against those accountable for environmental offenses." A recently published study discovered efforts to tackle major waste crime have been "extremely neglected" even though the situation developing into bigger and more complex. A parliamentary committee suggested an separate "comprehensive" investigation into how "endemic" waste crime is dealt with.