A man was arrested after being caught illegally dumping trash in just north of London.

The 28-year-old from High Cross in Hertfordshire, England, was arrested while the dumping was in progress at a farm. Photos from the scene showed large pieces of styrofoam being dumped from a truck.

The man was given a resolution order, which allows a case to stay out of court provided the plaintiff's demands are met. Local fines can be upward of $1,300.

"Fly-tipping blights the countryside, damages the environment and, with farmers and landowners often legally responsible for removing the rubbish despite being the victim of the crime, the clear-up costs the industry, nationally, tens of millions of pounds a year," Josh Redford of the Hertfordshire Farmers' Union told the BBC.

Trash does enough damage when it actually finds its way to a landfill. Much of it emits methane as it decomposes, contributing to destructive weather patterns. Many items shed microplastics, which find their way into water sources and food supplies.

When improperly disposed of, items can wreak havoc in natural habitats, leading to safety threats to wildlife. Animals can get caught in plastic items or even have them obstruct digestive tracts.

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Depending on the garbage being left, soil can be contaminated, which is a particular threat to agriculture. Knowing how to properly deal with your trash can help avoid situations where illegal dumping seems like a solution.

The county where this dumping took place, Hertfordshire, has an online reporting tool as well as an awareness campaign and has plugged into a volunteering platform to organize community cleanup events.

Though illegal dumping remains an ongoing issue, authorities were happy with how the situation was resolved, especially because locals took action.

"This is a great example of how police are working with the rural community to identify fly-tippers and make arrests," Sgt. David Miller of Hertfordshire Police said, per the BBC. "Fly-tipping has a hugely detrimental effect on our hard-working farmers, and we will continue to pursue these criminals and take action."