Christmas photos of kids, pets, and families wrapped in lights are cute but they may not be safe. Avoid lead exposure this Christmas by following a few safety tips.
This time of the year you will see photos of kids, pets, and couples wrapped in Christmas lights. Sure these photos are cute but are there hidden dangers?
One big danger is the fact that most Christmas lights contain lead. According to one CNN analysis, four common brands of Christmas lights contained lead levels that are considered to be dangerous to children. And many experts say no level is safe.
“There is no level at which lead exposure is safe,” Dr. Trasande said. “Even at one microgram/deciliter — the lowest level in a person’s blood stream that we can detect — that level has been associated with cognitive impairment in children.”- read more
A quick search on Pinterest and you will find hundreds of photos of babies wrapped in lights, some with the lights in their mouths. This is very concerning given the amount of surface lead found in Christmas lights. Also in many of the photos, the lights are plugged in, adding an extra danger to the situation.
Protect Yourself from Lead Exposure From Christmas Lights
- Don’t let children handle the lights.
- Wash your hands after handling lights.
- Wear gloves while handling lights.
- Choose Made in the USA lights when possible, generally, they have lower levels of lead than imported brands.
- Buy lead-free lights.
- Vacuum often with a HEPA filter vacuum and/or wet mop.
- Dust often with a wet rag.
- And of course, skip the photos with people and animals wrapped in Christmas lights.
Artificial Christmas trees often contain lead as well, so use the same caution with the tree. Also look for trees that use PE tips, it reduces the amount of PVC and lead.
Be sure to share this post to help prevent lead exposure this holiday season.
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Emily
Wow! I had no idea Christmas lights have lead in them! It is so hard to keep your family safe and avoid toxins these days… Hubby and I were just talking last night how the obsession with quantity over quality is causing so many problems.
Maia Garcia
Wow, I had no idea there was lead in the lights! I am going to share this article with my friends and family.