Artificial GE Pre-Lit Christmas Tree Purchased c. 2016 From Home Depot: Lead-Free

 

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For those new to this website:

Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) to test consumer goods for toxicants (specifically heavy metals — including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Antimony, and Arsenic). All test results reported on this website are science-based, accurate, and replicable. Items are tested multiple times to confirm the test results for each component tested. Tamara’s work was featured in Consumer Reports Magazine in February of 2023 (March 2023 print edition).

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“Mama C” sent me the above two sample branches from her artificial Christmas tree this year. It’s a GE pre-lit Just Cut medium Frasier fir, “ConstantOn” tree. She said she purchased it at Home Depot (c. 2016). Below are the additional photos she sent me of the original box and the tree installed in her home:

When tested with an XRF instrument, the two branch samples Mama C sent were Lead-free (they were also non-detect for other toxicants, including Cadmium, Mercury, and Arsenic), although one of the two samples had a fairly high level of Antimony (which is commonly used as a component of fire retardants).

Here’s my Amazon affiliate link* to this exact tree (it looks like the Home Depot price is much better, based on the sticker on the box in Mama C’s photo!) LINK.

In general, this seems like a better choice than some of the other trees out there. It is also the second Home-Depot purchased tree I have tested that turned out to be Lead-free. 

I also want to clearly state that since she could not cut a piece of the lighting to send to me (without ruining the tree!), these tests do not include the electrical cord of the lighting. BUT, the other Home Depot tree I tested was tested “in place” (set up in someone’s home) and the integrated wiring components that I tested were also negative for Lead. I will be publishing that information shortly as well.

Click here to see more artificial Christmas trees I have tested. Many older artificial trees do have unsafe levels of Lead and I always advise thorough hand washing (and possibly the use of gloves) when setting them up (in the absence of testing).

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The exact XRF test results for the branches pictured here were as follows (with each test done for at least 60 seconds).

Harder plastic-type tree branch (image below):

• Barium (Ba): 607 +/- 153 ppm
• Antimony (Sb): 3,228 +/- 76 ppm
• Bromine (Br): 13,200 +/- 200 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 391 +/- 38 ppm
• Vanadium (V): 740 +/- 192 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 948 +/- 275 ppm
• If a metal is not listed it was not detected.

Continue reading below the images.

Wispy softer type branch (image below):

• Bromine (Br): 12 +/- 3 ppm
• Tin (Sn): 171 +/- 14 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 2,556 +/- 130 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 2,642 +/- 1,145 pm

Continue reading below the images.

Even though this tree is Lead-free, given the level of Antimony I would still encourage hand-washing (and possible use of disposable gloves) when setting up and taking it down (and would also discourage children from playing with — or close to — the tree).

Pretty much any modern plug-in appliance (and this would be considered in this category) that I have tested has been positive for a fairly high level of Antimony. The Antimony is usually just in the electrical cords, but with these artificial trees, it is in the branches as well.

Occupational levels of exposure to Antimony are a possible carcinogen in rats (click the image below for more information).

While this is possibly a safer choice than a tree with high levels of Lead, I would still encourage (whenever possible) using a live potted plant instead of a cut real Christmas tree or faux Christmas tree. Alternately, this wooden reusable tree looks like a terrific idea as well (link), but I would try to find one NOT made of recycled wood (because that could be contaminated with Lead, too).

As always, thank you for reading and for sharing this work.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama

*Amazon links are affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking on one of our links, lead safe mama, llc may receive a small percentage of what you spend at no extra cost to you.