Burning Bright
Beeswax and soya candles are a safe alternative to harmful paraffin candles
While rearranging paintings in her home, Cathy Crystal noticed gray smudges on the wall. Baffled, she discovered similar gray "ghosting" bordering electrical outlets and air vents. "We don't allow smoking in our house and have a stove exhaust, so it didn't make sense," recalls the California nutritionist. A week later, when lighting a constellation of votives on the mantle before an evening soiree, the source of the mystery soot dawned on her.
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| Burnt Out Solutions makes candles only from quality natural ingredients. Enjoy the difference! |
In 2001 the American Lung Association issued warnings that [some] candles are a common, unrecognized cause of poor indoor air quality. The National Association of Home Builders has received increasing reports implicating candles as a major cause of black soot deposition, which damages home interiors, not to mention skin and lungs. These microscopic particles--smaller than 2.5 microns--are recognized by the EPA as responsible for aggravating respiratory illnesses, especially in children.
Candles, per se, are not problematic; rather, the culprits are paraffin, colorants, synthetic scents, and lead wicks. Industry regulations do not require candle manufacturers and retailers to disclose hazardous compounds, or to provide a comprehensive ingredient list, even upon consumer request.The multibillion dollar candle industry has boomed in the last decade. Fragrance intensity boosts sales, and many manufacturers simply dump in more synthetic oils, then claim dubious aromatherapy benefits. "A lot of big companies are jumping on the bandwagon and saying their products are aromatherapeutic, when they're not," says Cheryl Hoard, president of the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy. "They're using synthetic fragrances instead of essential oils."
Though U.S. candle makers voluntarily agreed 25 years ago to prohibit lead-core wicks, some imported candles still contain the toxic metal, the burning of which results in airborne lead particles that can be respired. A study conducted by the University of Michigan School of Public Health found that burning a candle with a lead-core wick inside a room for an hour can raise to unsafe levels airborne lead particles. (Rub wick tip on paper; if there's a pencil-like mark, toss it.)
But the good news is that candles made from natural wax sources [such as soy] are benign and burn clean... Recently, a renewable, nonpolluting candle wax has entered the market: soy wax.
From the November 13-19, 2003 issue of the North Bay Bohemian.
Burnt Out Solutions makes candles only from quality natural ingredients. Enjoy the difference! Try our way of making light for a breath of fresh air.
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