Major clean-up underway at Kidlington illegal waste site

A large-scale remediation operation is now underway at an illegal waste site in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, with thousands of tonnes of material set to be removed over the coming months.

Led by the Environment Agency, the clean-up is being delivered by Acumen Waste Services, marking a significant step towards restoring the affected area.

The site, located near the A34, is estimated to contain around 21,000 tonnes of waste, including tyres, plastics and general household materials.

Specialist teams are now removing between 15 and 30 lorry loads per day, with the full clearance programme expected to take approximately six months to complete.

The project represents a major logistical and environmental operation, requiring coordinated planning, waste handling expertise and ongoing site management to safely remove and process the materials.

The site was first identified in July 2025 following reports of illegal tipping, with enforcement action taken to halt further activity later that year. Since then, preparations have been ongoing to enable a full-scale clean-up.

Once complete, the works will help restore the land and surrounding environment, improving conditions for both local communities and wildlife.

The project highlights the scale of remediation challenges across the UK, while also demonstrating the capability within the waste and environmental services sector to respond and deliver complex clean-up operations.