With parties, decorations, gift giving and travel, Americans generate 25 percent more waste than average between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day – equating to almost 1,000 pounds of trash per household. However, roughly 80 percent of what is thrown away during the holidays can be recycled or repurposed, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The experts at Republic Services, an industry leader in U.S. recycling and non-hazardous solid waste disposal, encourage consumers to incorporate simple environmentally responsible practices into celebrations and family gatherings to minimize waste.
