Fossils-physical remains of an organism
Defining the Cenozoic-Anthropozoic
or “C-A Boundary Event”
Trace fossils-behavioral remains of an organism
Treptichnus pedum

Figure 3. Overview of Tucson's Overall Waste Composition, 2012
ure 4, organic waste is estimated to make up over half of Tucson’s residential sector
mposed, predominantly, of yard debris (24.5%) and food (17.6%). Paper is the next
class at almost 19%. Mixed paper and textiles, both recyclable material categories, each
6% of residential waste. Based on data derived from waste characterization studies
her communities, Cascadia estimates that the municipal average for textiles disposed is
weight.
Figure 4. Overview of Tucson's Residential Waste Composition, 2012
0.2 x 40 kg x 5 billion = 1 x 109 kg
300 kg/yr/person x 0.28 x 50 yr x 5 billion
= 2 x 1013 kg
Mass of trash
Mass of bone
1013/109 = 10,000:1

Brief History of Trash
first stone tools
first agriculture
high civilizations
industrialization

The Very Base of the C-A Boundary Event—the first trash

Awash gravel
alluvial sand bank
OGS-7
tuff: 2.53±0.15 Ma
Middle Pleistocene gravel

Awash gravel
OGS-7
tuff: 2.53±0.15 Ma
Middle Pleistocene gravel
Gauss Chron
Matuyama Chron
2.58 Ma

In situ artifacts at OGS-7: the oldest stone artifacts
2.58 Ma

Stone Tool Making Traditions
Oldowan
•cores with multiple flake scars
•modified and unmodified flakes, usually
small
•2.6 to 1.8 Ma
•up for grabs: perhaps made by early Homo
(like H. habilis)
Acheulian
cores with multiple flake scars
•modified and unmodified flakes; big!
•picks and hand-axes
•1.6 (?) to <1.0 Ma
•made by Homo ergaster (erectus)

Asikli Hoyuk: Neolithic Tell in Turkey
Quade, Abell, J., J., Stiner, M., Mentzer, S., and
Ozbasaran, M.
Ankara
Istanbul
Study Site
Aşıklı Höyük

structures
garbage
~10,200 BP
~9400 BP
8mm/yr
800 yrs
10 m

refuse
refuse
refuse
bricks/mortar
plaster

Industrial-Age Trash
Nagasaki: ground-zero Atacama Desert
Rio Grande floodplain Municipal landfill
Cambodian beach

Future section through a North American city

Future Marine Section
temperature productivity acidity

• We are creating the mother of all stratigraphic marker
horizons—more conspicuous than even the K-T and P-
T Boundary Events
• Truly a global trash layer, but most conspicuous in
continental fluvial environments
• There will be no debate about Overkill!
• Key unknown: Will the C-A be an event or epoch? –
Time will tell
• How will the C-A Boundary be interpreted?
Wrap up