LONDON
The British prime minister on Wednesday voiced his concern over a 60-meter-long mound of illegally dumped waste in England’s Oxfordshire, labeling it an "utterly appalling" scene.
Footage, including drone images captured by Anadolu, shows the hundreds of tons of rubbish stacked about 10 meters high, piled on land between the River Cherwell and the A34 near Kidlington, which has triggered warnings of an environmental catastrophe.
Speaking during weekly Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, Keir Starmer said a criminal investigation is underway into this "utterly appalling scene."
His remarks came in response to a question by Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey on whether the government would instruct the Environment Agency "to clean it up now."
The prime minister also noted that the agency will exercise all available powers to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable.
Starmer added that the government will give councils new powers to prevent further incidents.
In a statement on Monday, the Environment Agency said it is investigating the "large-scale offense" that took place in Kidlington, Oxfordshire.
"Initial assessment on site shows a mix of household and commercial waste rather than toxic waste," it noted, adding that it is conducting daily field operations at the site.
The site was closed to all public access following a court order on Oct. 23 and is now a "live crime scene."
