A California Prop. 65 sticker alerted me
to the issue of toxic indoor plants.
- It sounds crazy but we are no longer getting
- "a little bit of poison here and there."
-
- We are now expected to live in poison.
- Eventually it has to matter.
So Now Your Christmas Tree is Under Suspicion for Lead and Toxicity?
Yep. That’s right. Your Christmas tree could be a source of great toxicity. Whether it’s a real or artificial tree, it’s time to take a second look.
Real trees are being sprayed with toxic chemicals by most growers. A favorite of growers is glyphosate, the primary ingredient for Round Up which is known to cause a long list of health issues, including links to cancer. Over the 5-10 years of growing, most trees are regularly sprayed.
How does this affect you, the consumer? Who knows is the answer and basically, who cares other than those who end up sick? You are on your own but if you need safer or better, it is time to be aware of your purchases.
Moving to artificial trees seems like the answer, but…Wait! Very few of these trees are without issues. Many are made with PVC plastics that are known to contain heavy metals like lead and cadmium. Let’s not forget the flame retardant which is another set of problems for the body.
Advertising can say “Safe” without being safe and non-toxic can be just as meaningless. Lead-free does not mean free from all toxicity, but it's a start. Remembering that Round Up was sold as “safe” makes it clear we are left to our own research.
Why have we never worried about this before? Because the use of poison is getting more casual. Regulators and the public have come to accept toxicity as part of life.
It isn’t.
The tables below are from North Carolina State Extension and can be found with more information at https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/
Yep. That’s right. Your Christmas tree could be a source of great toxicity. Whether it’s a real or artificial tree, it’s time to take a second look.
Real trees are being sprayed with toxic chemicals by most growers. A favorite of growers is glyphosate, the primary ingredient for Round Up which is known to cause a long list of health issues, including links to cancer. Over the 5-10 years of growing, most trees are regularly sprayed.
How does this affect you, the consumer? Who knows is the answer and basically, who cares other than those who end up sick? You are on your own but if you need safer or better, it is time to be aware of your purchases.
Moving to artificial trees seems like the answer, but…Wait! Very few of these trees are without issues. Many are made with PVC plastics that are known to contain heavy metals like lead and cadmium. Let’s not forget the flame retardant which is another set of problems for the body.
Advertising can say “Safe” without being safe and non-toxic can be just as meaningless. Lead-free does not mean free from all toxicity, but it's a start. Remembering that Round Up was sold as “safe” makes it clear we are left to our own research.
Why have we never worried about this before? Because the use of poison is getting more casual. Regulators and the public have come to accept toxicity as part of life.
It isn’t.
The tables below are from North Carolina State Extension and can be found with more information at https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/
