The doctor warned about the danger of a stagnant Christmas tree in the apartment

A Christmas tree that has been standing in an apartment for too long can be dangerous for people with allergies. Vera Seryozhina, an expert at the LabQuest medical company, warned about this on Friday, January 16. She stressed that both live and artificial fir trees can be dangerous.

"A felled tree is no longer a living organism and eventually becomes a source of excess microflora. Decomposition processes are triggered in it, in which fungi and bacteria are actively involved," the doctor warned in a conversation with Lenta.Ru .

According to the expert, this can be especially critical for people with respiratory allergies. Seryozhina recommended limiting the stay of the felled tree in the apartment to one to two weeks.

She added that an artificial Christmas tree needs to be washed before and after use, as the structure actively accumulates dust, and if it gets stuffy in the room where the Christmas tree is located, nasal congestion, hoarseness of voice and lacrimation appear, these are signs of a possible allergy to dust and mold fungi.

Fir trees are noticeable: Russian-style Christmas trees have become the most important trend of the season

Candies and garlands of sheep are used as decorations.

On January 15, Igor Glamazdin, Doctor of Veterinary Sciences, director of the Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary and Sanitary Expertise and Agro-Safety at ROSBIOTECH University, warned in an interview with RT that if the Christmas tree stands indoors for too long — two to three months or more, it may be unsafe for both health and air quality in the house, regardless of whether it's alive or artificial.

Earlier, on January 12, Olga Turunina, a member of the Russian Bar Association, lawyer at Leges Bureau Law Firm, said that the live Christmas tree should be sawed, packed and delivered to the reception point after using the tree for the New Year. According to the expert, this approach will allow Russians to avoid fines for improper disposal of Christmas trees.

In the Moscow region, the campaign "Hand over the Christmas tree for recycling" will last from January 12 to February 8. 360.ru .

Evgeny Masharov, a member of the commission of the Public Chamber of Russia (CC RF) for the public examination of draft laws and other regulations, also said on January 8 that a fine of up to 3,000 rubles could be imposed for improper disposal of a Christmas tree. It is noted that in order to properly dispose of the Christmas tree, it is necessary to take it for recycling to special points. The products of recycled wood and needles will be used to make fertilizers and animal bedding.

Earlier, in January 2025, experts from the Lemana PRO network of goods for construction and home improvement told how to properly dispose of wood and where it can be delivered. So, you can take the tree to special reception points for recycling. Temporary Christmas tree reception points are operating in large cities as part of the Christmas Tree Cycle project. For the convenience of citizens, a map of reception points in Moscow is available on the project's website.

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