You’ve got seemingly questioned whether or not an actual or faux Christmas tree is the most secure selection. Effectively, it seems that the reply is just not so simple as “actual timber are finest” or “faux timber are unhealthy.”
There’s a lot to think about however the excellent news is that data is energy and after studying this put up, you may be higher armed in your hunt for a non-toxic Christmas tree and you may know tips on how to make no matter tree you’ve gotten safer.
Rising up, we by no means had an actual Christmas tree in our house. My mother had a extreme allergy to actual timber, in order that possibility was out. I at all times dreamed of going to a Christmas tree farm to pick the right tree, however after all, we by no means did.
When visiting homes with actual timber, I observed that they bothered me, so to at the present time, I’ve by no means had an actual tree in my house.
As a result of faux timber did not make me really feel unhealthy, I assumed they have been a great wholesome selection for me. Sadly, that seemingly wasn’t the case. Although our Christmas tree wasn’t making me sneeze, it seems that there have been seemingly different poisonous points to be involved about.
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Is a Reside Tree the Finest Non-Poisonous Christmas Tree Selection?
You may suppose that an actual tree is the most effective pure, clear, and wholesome dwelling strategy to go. I imply, pure is at all times the way in which to go, proper?
Not essentially. There are potential and really actual toxins even in essentially the most pristine of Christmas timber.
Pesticides and Herbicides
Until you are shopping for an natural Christmas tree, a stay tree will most actually have pesticide and herbicide residue. Christmas timber are recognized to be sprayed with glyphosate and bifenthrin plus a number of different chemical substances. Glyphosate is usually considered being an issue with wheat, however Christmas timber are victims of this poisonous spray as properly.
A few of these pesticides even are contaminated with PFAS, a “endlessly chemical” that is recognized for its long-term detrimental results on people and the setting.
Mould
Reside Christmas timber can harbor mould and consequently, mycotoxins. Christmas timber are sometimes harvested weeks earlier than they’re offered and sit in containers of water to maintain them alive, resulting in mould development.
Research have proven that the longer the tree is within the house, the extra mould spores there are and that they multiply shortly after lower than per week.
Mud
There are toxins in rainwater and within the air we breathe, so relying on the place your tree grew, it may have all types of residue on it from rainwater, automotive exhaust, and extra.
Moreover, mud is manufactured from particles of all kinds of issues together with human pores and skin, hair, clothes particles, and extra. This stuff are meals for mould, so you probably have mud, you even have mould.
As well as, mud mites could cause allergy symptoms too. A not-so-fun reality is that it is the mud mite feces (I do know, it is gross) that persons are allergic to, not the mites themselves.
Terpenes
Whereas the American School of Allergy and Immunology says that allergy symptoms to Christmas timber are uncommon, some persons are delicate or allergic to the terpenes in timber. These could cause a response when the tree is smelled or touched.
Tips on how to Scale back Poisonous Publicity from a Actual Christmas Tree
- Purchase an Natural Tree
- Spray your tree with water earlier than bringing it inside (letting it dry as a lot as attainable first). It will solely work in a local weather that is not very chilly until there is a sheltered place for drying. Some tree farms provide washing companies, which is a superb assist.
- Use an Air Air purifier: After all, it’s best to have an air air purifier regardless, however you for certain need one when you’ve gotten a life tree in your house. Aspect observe, I’m an Austin Air vendor. If you would like an ideal low cost on one among these purifiers, simply remark under or e-mail me at adrienne at complete new mother dot com.
- Clear Your House: vacuum and dirt usually when you’ve gotten a stay Christmas tree in your house.
- Restrict the time your tree is in your home by shopping for your tree as late within the season as you’ll be able to and eradicating the tree from your property as quickly as attainable. It has been proven that mould spore rely expands exponentially after the primary 4 to 5 days. Should you’re like us, and stretch your Christmas celebrations out, nonetheless, this would possibly not work properly for you.
- Restrict bodily contact with the tree.
- Wash your arms after touching the tree.
- Spray the tree with HOCl earlier than inserting ornaments on it. HOCl is stronger than bleach and addresses mould.
Are Synthetic Christmas Bushes Secure?
Should you’re like me, and also you’re allergic to actual Christmas timber, then a faux Christmas tree appears to be an ideal protected selection. Not so quick.
Following are some toxins in synthetic Christmas timber that you ought to be conscious of.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
Like many shopper merchandise nowadays, many synthetic Christmas timber are manufactured from PVC (polyvinyl chloride). One would suppose that PVC is benign, but it surely’s not, and this is why.
Poisonous Gases
PVC is commonly handled with plasticizers to make it extra versatile. The most typical plasticizer is phthalates, which is an synthetic perfume. Phthalates shed or leach from the merchandise they’re utilized in, both within the type of gases or mud. As endocrine disruptors, they’re linked to many well being points together with diabetes, reproductive issues, weight problems, liver points, thyroid points, and extra. They’ve even been linked to autism, ADHD (Consideration Deficit Hyperactive Dysfunction), and different cognitive points in kids.
Lead
PVC may also be handled with lead as a stabilizer. This was extra the case up to now, however individuals have a tendency to purchase a synthetic tree and maintain it for a few years, so you probably have a faux tree in your house, it seemingly accommodates lead.
The lead sheds off the PVC within the type of mud that finally ends up on the surfaces of your property.
Lead bioaccumulates and is linked with well being issues together with cardiovascular, reproductive, kidney, mind, and extra. Like all toxins, lead publicity is extra of a priority for youngsters attributable to their smaller measurement and it might even trigger everlasting injury.
In 2001, it was estimated that about 50 million properties within the U.S. had synthetic timber. Whereas this examine did conclude that publicity to guide from synthetic timber is probably going not that top, in some homes, this shedding can result in poisonous exposures.
Flame Retardants
Though PVC is already flame retardant and plenty of timber are actually made with PVC, flame retardants are nonetheless usually used on faux timber. In reality, some firms state that after 2-3 years it’s best to think about reapplying the poisonous chemical substances to your tree which implies much more publicity.
Antimony Trioxide
Along with PVC, synthetic timber are additionally made out of polyethylene (PE) or a mix of PE and PVC. PE timber are extra sturdy and life like than PVC timber, however they’re additionally dearer.
One concern about PE timber is that the primary catalyst for making these chemical substances is antimony trioxide. It is a probable carcinogen and a attainable endocrine disruptor.
Moreover, a whole lot of antimony is launched into the setting when PE is made. Antimony bioaccumulates, and air contaminated with the chemical has been linked to many well being points. In reality, antimony known as a “precedence pollutant” by america EPA.
Regardless of the environmental considerations, as soon as a PE tree is in your house, it is a a lot better selection than a PVC tree. The reason being that antimony is principally launched way more at larger temperatures (50°C (about 122°F) and above.
PFAS
It has been mentioned that synthetic Christmas timber are typically sprayed with chemical substances containing PFAS to make them last more by making them extra proof against warmth and lightweight. I have never been capable of confirm this, nonetheless.
Mud
Synthetic Christmas timber are sometimes saved in attics and garages and so they can harbor tons of mould and dirt, particularly in the event that they’re saved with no container. All these needles harbor tons of mud and so they’re onerous to wash. Additionally, if the tree is saved in a heat attic at the hours of darkness, mould can fester.
Tips on how to Scale back Poisonous Publicity from an Synthetic Tree
- Purchase a Much less Poisonous Tree: It is a more sensible choice to buy a tree with the next share of PE/PET than PVC.
- Outgas: Permit your new synthetic tree to outgas outdoor earlier than bringing it inside for the primary time. For a brand new tree – outgas outdoor earlier than establishing.
- Restrict bodily contact with the tree.
- Wash Palms: Wash your arms after adorning or in any other case touching the tree.
- Purify the Air: Use an air air purifier.
- Clear Your House: Vacuum and dirt usually to handle any toxins which may have been shed in your home.
- Get a Smaller Tree: The smaller the tree, the much less poisonous it will likely be. The timber within the above photograph are 3 sizes of timber we at present have: massive, small, and skinny, after which a small tabletop Christmas tree that was a marriage reward. That tree is about as small because it will get, however I nonetheless like it!
The place to Purchase Non-toxic Synthetic Christmas Bushes
There are a variety of timber with a mix of PVC and PE branches, with a lot of the combined PVC/PE timber having at most 65% PE. Nevertheless, Balsam Hill and IKEA stand above the others by having no less than some timber with greater than 65% PE.
I am going to verify with extra firms sooner or later, however under is a few info on these timber.
After all, this info can change, so it is best to achieve out to ensure the timber nonetheless meet these requirements.
Balsam Hill
Balsam Hill has a wide range of timber with various quantities of PVC / PE in them.
Their “most life like” timber have 65 – 100% PE in order that’s the way in which to go if you would like a tree with the least quantity of PVC. Apparently, the next timber are “utterly PE”, except for PVC wrap on the interior, decrease, and prime of the tree trunk for the looks of fullness, and that half is detachable.
The corporate informed me that their timber are coated with antimony trioxide flame retardant, however that should not be a priority as talked about above. Apparently, antimony trioxide is not a flame retardant in and of itself, so I am guessing that they use a flame retardant that’s enhanced by antimony trioxide.
IKEA
IKEA does not have many timber to select from, so that you’re extra prone to get what you want at Balsam Hill. Additionally observe that regardless of IKEA’s claims of their timber being non-toxic, it is necessary to learn the opinions. Some individuals report points that you just may discover disconcerting.
IKEA claims that the Vinterfint tree is made out of PET, however one evaluate states that the tree had an odd scent and that it shed a inexperienced colour onto arms when it was adorned. (Be aware that the tree is not proven on their web site proper now, so hopefully, that might be again on-line sooner or later so you’ll be able to see what I am referencing.)
IKEA does declare that they do not use flame retardants on their timber and IKEA’s flame retardant coverage states that they keep away from them at any time when attainable.
Extra Sources of Christmas Tree Toxins
Ornaments
You may not take into consideration this however your Christmas tree ornaments may be one other large supply of poisons. To start with, they’ll harbor lead, however that cardboard decoration field that you just saved in your attic or storage is an issue as properly.
Cardboard is a superb meals supply for mould. If you deliver that field into your property and take the ornaments out, you are distributing the spores into your property. Although I am not a fan of plastic storage on the whole, on this case, an all-plastic storage container is a a lot better selection.
Lights
Most Christmas tree lights have lead, however yow will discover some protected Christmas tree lights.
Conventional Christmas Tree Alternate options
An alternative choice is to have a substitute for a Christmas tree like the next:
- Embellish an Out of doors Tree: We do that slightly bit with lights and a few big ornaments both on a tree or a big bush!
- A Totally different Form of Potted Tree – having a tree that you know the way it was cultivated and handled could be a lot much less poisonous than what you may be capable of discover close by so far as stay tree choices go.
- E book Tree – search “guide Christmas tree” on-line and you may see this attention-grabbing possibility! Simply make certain the books aren’t moldy!
- Wood Tree – yow will discover concepts for this on-line too.
My Ultimate Christmas Tree Recommendation
No matter you’ve gotten, or no matter you select, neither selection is ideal. No tree goes to be utterly toxin-free, and neither is every part in your house.
Do your finest and benefit from the Christmas season which is way more necessary than no matter tree you select. With some easy precautions, you can also make your Christmas tree safer and each wholesome step you are taking is a step in the proper route.
Extra Wholesome Christmas Posts
These posts will help you’ve gotten a very more healthy Vacation season.
Wholesome Stocking Stuffers – skip the sweet and provides the reward of well being this yr!
Does “Xmas” Take Christ Out of Christmas? – should you’ve been involved about saying or listening to “Xmas,” this put up is for you.
Pure and Wholesome Selfmade Christmas Presents – do-it-yourself items are the most effective
Wholesome Christmas Cookies – Santa accredited!
Gluten-free Christmas Cookies – avoiding gluten? This checklist of cookies is certain to make you smile.
Extra Analysis-based Posts About Wholesome Residing
Is there Paint Thinner In Your Cereal? – scary, however is it true?
Pesticides in Strawberries. What You Have to Know
Does Erythritol Trigger Coronary heart Illness? – consists of an infographic that explains what’s seemingly happening with this well-liked low-carb sweetener
Is Stevia Secure? – rumors about infertility and DNA disruption abound. However what’s true? Discover out right here.
What sort of Christmas tree do you’ve gotten?
Does this put up make you concentrate on making a change?
