Acumen Waste Services based in Knottingley, Yorkshire, will remove the massive pile of rubbish near to the Oxfordshire village and the River Cherwell.
The contract is estimated to be worth £8 million according to Channel 4 with no tender process held for the appointment and the money to be taken from the taxpayer.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “Advice from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service highlighted the site’s fire-risk and the potential effect one could have on the area.”
READ MORE: Massive Oxfordshire waste dump could remain until 2026 end
The spokesperson added: “Our priority is to remove the waste as quickly as possible while maintaining strong financial, environmental and operational oversight throughout.”
Acumen has worked with the Environment Agency before including at Hoads Wood in Kent, where more than 30,000 tonnes of household and construction waste was dumped.
A general view of the 150m long mountain of rubbish that has been illegally dumped beside the A34 and near the River Cherwell in Kidlington, Oxfordshire. (Image: Jacob King / PA Wire)
The Environment Agency has estimated that 10,000 tonnes of illegal waste is at the Kidlington site, which was first closed in October when this newspaper broke the news of the dump.
Late the body declared a critical incident over the waste pile which reached 12 metres in height.
The spokesperson added: “Acumen will provide a full end-to-end waste management service, including site preparation, waste characterisation, segregation, safe handling, loading, transport, and disposal at appropriately permitted facilities.”
Shocking pictures show the fly tip (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)
Earlier this month the government’s environment minister Mary Creagh said that the clearance of the site is set to begin in February.
Indeed several damaged trees have already been removed to create access to the illegal waste with the Environment Agency pledging to plant two trees for every one that is felled.
Ms Creagh added: “Early indications and scoping indicates that full clearance will take approximately six to nine months.”
Though the taxpayer is footing the bill for the clear-up, the Environment Agency said it will be looking to “claw money back”.
The spokesperson said that although the clean-up has already been financed, that “does not replace the Environment Agency’s long-held view that those shameless criminals dumping the waste shouldn’t gain financially from it”.
READ MORE: Trees felled at huge Kidlington waste dump as work begins
“The taxpayer shouldn’t pay for the crimes of others,” said the spokesperson.
They added: “All costs are being rigorously reviewed and benchmarked against comparable competitive waste‑clearance projects.
“Robust project-management and commercial controls are in place to monitor performance, manage expenditure and ensure safe, efficient delivery.”
The Environment Agency has said that its investigation into the culprit is continuing.
Calum Miller, MP for Bicester and Woodstock, has been contacted for comment.
