Talking Garbage

Domestic waste is a core component of many archaeological sites, and provides essential resources for the study of societies in time and space. The progressive systematisation of waste disposal practices in Suffolk is a response to urbanisation, population growth and changing material consumption patterns, within an evolving legal framework. This article outlines some of the historic trends for disposal in the county and their implications for the archaeological record, focusing particularly on the last 150 years. It also provides an overview of waste disposal in Suffolk at the present time.

Tim Holt-Wilson works freelance in the field of environmental heritage interpretation and information management, including museums. He is active in geological conservation in Norfolk, and has authored books and magazine articles about geology and landforms in East Anglia. He is a member of the Quaternary Research Association and the Geological Society of Norfolk. He is passionate about communicating the value of the Earth as a record of environmental history.