A "disgraceful" mountain of illegal waste stretching 150 metres long is finally being cleared from a site near the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, officials have confirmed.
The colossal clean-up operation, costing £7.3 million, is expected to last around six months.
The trail of rubbish caused widespread outrage, led to a criminal investigation and the Environment Agency declaring the situation a critical incident last November.
The vast illegal dumping ground, located in a field alongside the A34 in Kidlington, covers 8,000 square metres – an area larger than Wembley Stadium.
It contains an estimated 21,000 tonnes of rubbish, including tyres, shredded plastic, and household waste, which will be dug up and removed.
Between 15 and 30 lorry loads are expected to be transported daily.
The Environment Agency is leading the extensive work, with Acumen Waste Services Ltd carrying out the removal.
Concerns had been raised that pollution from the site could spill into the nearby River Cherwell, prompting officials to install protective barriers to safeguard the waterway.
The Environment Agency first attended the scene of the illegal tip, issuing a cease and desist letter to stop further dumping.
However, when officers became aware of more waste being tipped in October, the agency successfully applied for a court order to close down the site. No further waste has been deposited since then.
The agency launched a criminal investigation, with four people arrested.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously said he was “appalled” by the mountain of waste, urging a speedy clear up of the illegal site, and the Environment Agency has been working since November on options for removing and disposing of the rubbish.
A decision to clear the site was taken on December 11, as a result of evidence from the fire service about the risks of fire breaking out at the site, close to the strategic A34 road route.
Anna Burns, Environment Agency area director for Thames, said the start of work marked a “major step” in clearing the Kidlington site and restoring the area for local people, and the agency would be working to remove the waste as quickly as possible while continuing the investigation into those responsible.
She said: “The criminals didn’t have regard to the environment or people when they dumped this waste but we do, so we had to do this properly.”
She said the agency had spent time profiling the waste to ensure it was taken to the correct disposal sites, managing the wildlife, ensuring vehicles could come and go quickly and working with the local community and local authority on traffic management.
Work was also delayed slightly by the heavy rain in February, which made the site waterlogged, but Ms Burns said the team was “back on track now”.
“We have taken time to plan so that we can act quickly, and we hope that over the next few weeks we’ll start to see really rapid removal of the waste, with up to 30 lorry loads a day,” she said.
She added: “This site and other high profile sites have really highlighted the extent of criminal activity in the waste sector and we are really focused on addressing that and learning from these incidents.”
A recent 10-point action plan from the Environment Agency sets out how the regulator plans to act faster, intervene earlier and take steps to prevent illegal waste dumps in the first place – for example by anticipating how criminals identify land on which to tip rubbish.
The expected £7.3 million cost of the operation to clear the Cherwell site is being funded by the Environment Agency, although officials said they will pursue those responsible for the money as their investigation develops.
Ms Burns said: “We are absolutely focused on bringing those who caused this atrocity to justice.”
Councillor Liz Leffman, leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said a “huge amount of planning and preparation” between agencies had taken place to deal with the site.
“It is a relief to everyone to see work begin in earnest to get this eyesore removed,” she said.
“We all look forward to the day when all the waste has been removed and this corner of Oxfordshire can be restored to normality for people and wildlife alike.”
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: “The illegal waste dump in Kidlington is disgraceful. I have seen the immense scale of the site, which I am proud to say the Government is now clearing up.
“There has already been significant progress, with four arrests made in connection to the site.
“Our wider Waste Crime Action Plan is cracking down on waste criminals by giving the Environment Agency new police-style powers and using new technology, like specialised drones, to prevent this criminality in the future.”
The Government has also pledged to fund the clear up of some other major illegal waste sties, with on-site feasibility assessments at Bolton House Road in Wigan, where 18,000 tonnes of waste was dumped, and a stretch of land in Hyndburn, Lancashire, where 10,000 tonnes has been left.
An assessment will also take place for clearing an industrial site in Sheffield where 20,000 tonnes of waste was dumped, officials said last month.
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