Environmental Benefits of Reusing Artificial Christmas Trees

Nielsen conducted a survey for the American Christmas Tree Association, showing that about three-fourths of all U.S. households have a Christmas tree, and most of them are artificial trees.

The majority of artificial Christmas trees come from China, where they’re made from PVC and steel, and then sent to landfills in the U.S.

However eco-friendly that may sound, the A.C.T.A, a trade association, maintains that using an artificial tree for more than five years creates fewer environmental impacts than using a real one.

Cost Savings of Reusing Artificial Christmas Trees

Real trees disposed of at the end of the season – and possibly replaced every year – have a greater impact on greenhouse gas emissions, energy usage, and other areas than artificial Christmas trees that are re-used.

These conclusions come from a study conducted by WAP Sustainability Consulting on behalf of the group.

N.C.T.A. representative O’Connor dismissed the study’s conclusions, saying it is absurd to imply that a tree made from oil and scraped into PVC plastic in China could be compared to one grown in nature.

Those parameters, according to Mr. Cregg from Michigan State, were too narrow. Aren’t wildlife and local water supplies at risk, as well as potential job losses?

Thomas Harman, founder and CEO of Balsam Hill, said the company recycles scrap plastic to make parts of its artificial trees. Though creating a recyclable tree has proven more challenging.

When copper, plastic, and steel are fused together during production, they must be dismantled before recycling.

Consequently, he recommends reusing old trees rather than planting new ones, which turns out to be much more energy-efficient.