Killer Christmas trees

[Just AnotherPerson]

A few years back I bought a new faux Christmas tree. I took it out and set it up and not long after I started to get what seemed like were the worst allergies ever, and felt unwell. I was wondering if maybe the tree was dusty, or if it had something to do with the oils on it. Once I put it away I got better. The next year when I put it out it was the same thing, the severe allergies happened again. The next year it was slightly less. I’m not sure why I never looked into it further, I guess I just thought that it was allergies.


This year I had decided I want something different. I was searching online for that perfect tree. That’s when I noticed that the trees have fire retardant on them. That led me down the rabbit hole. Now I know that these faux christmas trees have fire retardant, VOC’s, lead dust & phalates.


Here are a few articles that I read through.


“Toxic Chemicals in Artificial Christmas Trees


The majority of artificial trees are made using a not-so-great plastic called polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC is a major source of phthalates, one of the better known endocrine disrupting chemicals (they upset how hormones are made and distributed throughout our bodies). It's used to softens plastic (think soft pine needles), but has many known negative health impacts. They have been linked to asthma, neurodevelopment issues, cancers, obesity and type II diabetes, reproductive harm, and male fertility issues (1). In fact, phthalates are so harmful to health that many are banned from children's products. They can also easily leach or migrate out of plastics and end up in your household dust which you end of eating or breathing in and is a documented source of exposure.


On top of that, lead is often used to stabilize and make PVC easier to work with. Lead particles can be released from the artificial trees over time too. The exposure risk from artificial trees is smaller, but is definitely possible (2). Lead causes numerous health issues in children and adults, and there is no known safe level (3).


Lastly, artificial trees have flame retardants added to them to prevent fires. While we definitely don't want fires, chemical flame retardants can cause problems like cancers, decreased fertility in both men and women, impacts on the immune system, disruption to the regulation and creation of hormones, and lower IQ and hyperactivity in kids (4). Artificial trees are definitely not great for health, especially if there are children or even pets at home”! https://www.becausehealth.org/artifi...641518147.html


“Many people buy artificial Christmas trees to avoid the mess of dropped needles spread throughout their homes. Unfortunately, that pristine artificial tree could be spreading something you can’t see: toxic lead dust.


Most artificial trees are manufactured in China and made from two items: PVC, a petroleum-based plastic, and lead, used to stabilize PVC. The lead in the “greens” breaks down into lead dust, which is released into the air, poisoning everyone, but especially children younger than six”. https://rtkenvironmental.com/healthy...ristmas-trees/


“The American Christmas Tree Association—a non-profit that educates people about Christmas trees both real and fake—says that PVC is “not harmful” or “dangerous.” But many experts disagree.


That’s in part because PVC is a fire-resistant compound that can use metals like lead, tin, or barium as stabilizers, says Glenn Harnett, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of American Family Care, the nation’s leading urgent care provider. As a result, a study from 2004 even found traceable amounts of lead in artificial trees.


“PVC also releases gases known as volatile organic compounds, which are gases that can irritate the eyes, nose, and lungs,” Dr. Harnett says.


In some cases, PVC may also contain phthalates—recognized endocrine disrupting chemicals shown to lower testosterone in lab animals and humans, says Bruce Lanphear, M.D., a professor of health sciences at Simon Fraser University”.


“Dr. Lanphear says it’s tough to quantify the result of being exposed to your fake tree six hours a day, one month a year, for 10 years. But he says we’re all exposed to a variety of products all the time that can contain things like lead and phthalates, and that even at environmentally acceptable levels, this can potentially cause toxic effects on fertility and diminished testosterone levels in blood.


“Lead exposure is an established risk factor for hypertension, infertility, and in kids, a diminished IQ,” he adds. And in fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there is no safe level of lead exposure”. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/is-y...397551670.html


This article discusses the dangers of artificial trees, and share links to a few sellers that don’t use lead based plastic or fire retardants. https://www.thefiltery.com/non-toxic-christmas-tree/


Lastly this article talks about the dangers from real trees. https://macskamoksha.com/2016/12/o-c...e-o-toxic-tree

[Dr. Who]

A few years back I bought a new faux Christmas tree. I took it out and set it up and not long after I started to get what seemed like were the worst allergies ever, and felt unwell. I was wondering if maybe the tree was dusty, or if it had something to do with the oils on it. Once I put it away I got better. The next year when I put it out it was the same thing, the severe allergies happened again. The next year it was slightly less. I’m not sure why I never looked into it further, I guess I just thought that it was allergies.


This year I had decided I want something different. I was searching online for that perfect tree. That’s when I noticed that the trees have fire retardant on them. That led me down the rabbit hole. Now I know that these faux christmas trees have fire retardant, VOC’s, lead dust & phalates.


Here are a few articles that I read through.


“Toxic Chemicals in Artificial Christmas Trees


The majority of artificial trees are made using a not-so-great plastic called polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC is a major source of phthalates, one of the better known endocrine disrupting chemicals (they upset how hormones are made and distributed throughout our bodies). It's used to softens plastic (think soft pine needles), but has many known negative health impacts. They have been linked to asthma, neurodevelopment issues, cancers, obesity and type II diabetes, reproductive harm, and male fertility issues (1). In fact, phthalates are so harmful to health that many are banned from children's products. They can also easily leach or migrate out of plastics and end up in your household dust which you end of eating or breathing in and is a documented source of exposure.


On top of that, lead is often used to stabilize and make PVC easier to work with. Lead particles can be released from the artificial trees over time too. The exposure risk from artificial trees is smaller, but is definitely possible (2). Lead causes numerous health issues in children and adults, and there is no known safe level (3).


Lastly, artificial trees have flame retardants added to them to prevent fires. While we definitely don't want fires, chemical flame retardants can cause problems like cancers, decreased fertility in both men and women, impacts on the immune system, disruption to the regulation and creation of hormones, and lower IQ and hyperactivity in kids (4). Artificial trees are definitely not great for health, especially if there are children or even pets at home”! https://www.becausehealth.org/artifi...641518147.html


“Many people buy artificial Christmas trees to avoid the mess of dropped needles spread throughout their homes. Unfortunately, that pristine artificial tree could be spreading something you can’t see: toxic lead dust.


Most artificial trees are manufactured in China and made from two items: PVC, a petroleum-based plastic, and lead, used to stabilize PVC. The lead in the “greens” breaks down into lead dust, which is released into the air, poisoning everyone, but especially children younger than six”. https://rtkenvironmental.com/healthy...ristmas-trees/


“The American Christmas Tree Association—a non-profit that educates people about Christmas trees both real and fake—says that PVC is “not harmful” or “dangerous.” But many experts disagree.


That’s in part because PVC is a fire-resistant compound that can use metals like lead, tin, or barium as stabilizers, says Glenn Harnett, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of American Family Care, the nation’s leading urgent care provider. As a result, a study from 2004 even found traceable amounts of lead in artificial trees.


“PVC also releases gases known as volatile organic compounds, which are gases that can irritate the eyes, nose, and lungs,” Dr. Harnett says.


In some cases, PVC may also contain phthalates—recognized endocrine disrupting chemicals shown to lower testosterone in lab animals and humans, says Bruce Lanphear, M.D., a professor of health sciences at Simon Fraser University”.


“Dr. Lanphear says it’s tough to quantify the result of being exposed to your fake tree six hours a day, one month a year, for 10 years. But he says we’re all exposed to a variety of products all the time that can contain things like lead and phthalates, and that even at environmentally acceptable levels, this can potentially cause toxic effects on fertility and diminished testosterone levels in blood.


“Lead exposure is an established risk factor for hypertension, infertility, and in kids, a diminished IQ,” he adds. And in fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there is no safe level of lead exposure”. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/is-y...397551670.html


This article discusses the dangers of artificial trees, and share links to a few sellers that don’t use lead based plastic or fire retardants. https://www.thefiltery.com/non-toxic-christmas-tree/


Lastly this article talks about the dangers from real trees. https://macskamoksha.com/2016/12/o-c...e-o-toxic-tree

Perhaps you should go old school and get a real tree. No chemicals.

[Just AnotherPerson]

Perhaps you should go old school and get a real tree. No chemicals.

I mostly wanted to share what I learned, I thought the information was important. I did consider a real tree, but I love, love, love trees and would never chop one down so that I could have a tree in my house for a month. I do know you can get a planted one, but that could be a hassle. The real Christmas trees are quite toxic as well, they are sprayed with tons of chemicals. I opted for a faux tree from an online seller as far as I have found are the only ones who don't use fire retardant. I still put them outside for a few days before bringing them in, just to be safe.

[carolina73]

Seems that Christmas Trees have branched out into chemical warfare. But in my impoverished days, we took my jeep down to the power lines and found a real Christmas tree and cut and run before we got caught.

But after a few days in the house we were infested by these little gnat type bugs that were apparently waiting for spring.

So its tough to win. LOL

[FindersKeepers]

I mostly wanted to share what I learned, I thought the information was important. I did consider a real tree, but I love, love, love trees and would never chop one down so that I could have a tree in my house for a month. I do know you can get a planted one, but that could be a hassle. The real Christmas trees are quite toxic as well, they are sprayed with tons of chemicals. I opted for a faux tree from an online seller as far as I have found are the only ones who don't use fire retardant. I still put them outside for a few days before bringing them in, just to be safe.

That's interesting info. I have three fake Christmas trees in my house right now. God only knows what kind of chemicals they're leeching into the air.

I wasn't going to put up a tree this year--I even tossed out all my old Christmas decorations after last Christmas but then one of my clients asked me to setup and test three different trees. I did that in October so it feels pretty much like January around here right now--I'm pretty tired of the trees, but I think I'll keep them through the holiday and then donate them to a reuse-it-type store.

I wonder if the flocked ones have more chemicals? I set up a tall, 9-foot flocked tree and by the time I was done, my hair and clothing were flocked as well. Looked a lot like friable asbestos to me.

[Just AnotherPerson]

That's interesting info. I have three fake Christmas trees in my house right now. God only knows what kind of chemicals they're leeching into the air.

I wasn't going to put up a tree this year--I even tossed out all my old Christmas decorations after last Christmas but then one of my clients asked me to setup and test three different trees. I did that in October so it feels pretty much like January around here right now--I'm pretty tired of the trees, but I think I'll keep them through the holiday and then donate them to a reuse-it-type store.

I wonder if the flocked ones have more chemicals? I set up a tall, 9-foot flocked tree and by the time I was done, my hair and clothing were flocked as well. Looked a lot like friable asbestos to me.

I hadn't thought about the flocking. I looked it up. It looks like some are non toxic and some are toxic it all depends on the formulation. Some contain heavy metals like lead and arsenic, and some have pvc which has lead and the worst offender fire retardants. They can be harmful to small children and pets. There are several non toxic do it yourself recipes too.

I bet your trees look beautiful though. I always take my tree down the day after Christmas, but it feels so strange it takes a while to get used to everything looking so bland. The decorations bring so much warmth. I wanted to decorate in November so that my decorations could be up longer but I was just too busy. But I use warm white string lights year round, I think they are wonderful especially on the back porch.

[carolina73]

I hadn't thought about the flocking. I looked it up. It looks like some are non toxic and some are toxic it all depends on the formulation. Some contain heavy metals like lead and arsenic, and some have pvc which has lead and the worst offender fire retardants. They can be harmful to small children and pets. There are several non toxic do it yourself recipes too.

I bet your trees look beautiful though. I always take my tree down the day after Christmas, but it feels so strange it takes a while to get used to everything looking so bland. The decorations bring so much warmth. I wanted to decorate in November so that my decorations could be up longer but I was just too busy. But I use warm white string lights year round, I think they are wonderful especially on the back porch.

I'll start wishing everyone a non-lethal Christmas.

[FindersKeepers]

I hadn't thought about the flocking. I looked it up. It looks like some are non toxic and some are toxic it all depends on the formulation. Some contain heavy metals like lead and arsenic, and some have pvc which has lead and the worst offender fire retardants. They can be harmful to small children and pets. There are several non toxic do it yourself recipes too.

I bet your trees look beautiful though. I always take my tree down the day after Christmas, but it feels so strange it takes a while to get used to everything looking so bland. The decorations bring so much warmth. I wanted to decorate in November so that my decorations could be up longer but I was just too busy. But I use warm white string lights year round, I think they are wonderful especially on the back porch.

This is the flocked one I set up and tested.

I also tested this one.

And this one.

The all-white one doesn't really look like it but it has glitter all over the branch tips. That got on me, too, and all over the floor and furniture.

[Dr. Who]

This is the flocked one I set up and tested.

I also tested this one.

And this one.

The all-white one doesn't really look like it but it has glitter all over the branch tips. That got on me, too, and all over the floor and furniture.

What criteria are you testing the trees for? The only one that looks realistic is the half tree. The flocked one has a nice shape but too much flocking. I don't understand white trees. When I was a kid we always had real trees and we'd spray on some snow. Goodness knows what was in that stuff.

[RMNIXON]

I gave up on trees some time in the late 90's because of the cost...............


Now they are in living the front and back yard and some many stories tall!