When it comes to holiday waste, things usually aren’t very jolly.

Waste expert Robert Lilienfeld, who has developed recycling programs across the country and helps businesses create more sustainable practices, estimates that Americans throw away 25 percent more trash during the Thanksgiving-to-New-Year period than at any other time of the year. That could be anything from delivery boxes to excess packaging to one-time decorations.

And according to the National Retail Federation, holiday online sales are expected to increase this year 10 to 12 percent. Although all that paper and cardboard might be relatively easy to recycle, Lilienfeld says online orders affect how much is actually recycled.

Brick-and-mortar stores can collect, compress, and bale cardboard cartons, then sell to recyclers. But because