Waste threat to Oxfordshire river

Main image: Kidlington flytip, ©Thames21

Thames21 has announced that all river stakeholders, including the Environment Agency and Cherwell District Council, need to work together ‘in a swift manner’ to prevent a massive illegal waste dump from being washed into the River Cherwell.

The illegally dumped rubbish, stretching over 100 metres long, 20 metres wide and 10 metres high, has been discovered in a field beside the River Cherwell near Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

It is not clear who has dumped the enormous mound of shredded plastic waste, but it is believed to have been dumped by an organised crime group or groups.

‘This is one of the most distressing cases of environmental neglect we’ve seen on the River Cherwell, if not in all of Oxfordshire.

‘If this waste isn’t contained, every storm and flood, will carry fragments of this plastic further downstream — poisoning wildlife, suffocating habitats, and leaving a legacy of pollution that could last thousands of years. We need swift, coordinated action now — before it’s too late.’

CLAIRE ROBERTSON
Oxford Rivers project officer at Thames21

Taking action

The waste has been dumped in a field prone to flooding, prompting serious concern from Thames21 that tonnes of plastic could soon be washed directly into the River Cherwell and on into the River Thames, polluting hundreds of miles of waterways and damaging ecosystems for generations to come.

The site was first discovered on 10 September by a member of a local angling club. The site went undetected for months despite being located just one kilometre from the headquarters of Thames Valley Police.