Candles: The Burning Issue
Photo by Ryan McVay/Getty Images
(Part of my Green This House program.)
Because I abhor bright light in any setting, I’ve been known to flip the switch and satisfy my latent pyromaniac urges (and send my husband’s fragile masculinity screaming into the distance) by lighting a few scented candles, instead. So woe (GREAT WOE) was the day I discovered that there wasn’t a pillar, tea light, or votive in my apartment that was up to snuff, so to speak.
Most candles are made from paraffin wax, which is, in turn, manufactured from petroleum, and generates carcinogens and soot when burned. According to Greenspace Candles, paraffin candles contain up to 11 carcinogenic compounds considered “toxic air contaminants” by the State of California. It goes on to state:
An air quality researcher, David Krause, has documented evidence that candle soot particles contain many of the same compounds given off from burning diesel fuel.
These health hazards are compounded by synthetic fragrances not meant for combustion, chemical fixatives, synthetic glosses, and dioxin-bleached cotton wicks that contain small amounts of lead. (Chronic low-level exposure to lead has been shown to produce permanent neuropsychological defects and behavior disorders in kids, such as low IQ, short attention spans, hyperactivity, and problems with motor function.)
This doesn’t mean I have to give up my candle-burning extracurricular activity, however. A popular alternative to paraffin is soy wax, which is made from American-grown soybeans (a renewable resource), is biodegradable, and, according to more than one soy-candle maker, supports U.S. farmers instead of “creating further U.S. dependence on foreign oil.”
100 percent soy candles are also said to produce a great deal less soot than their paraffin counterparts (95 percent less by some counts), while burning up to 50 percent longer without any toxic offgassing. Their lower melting point also means a slower and more even scent dispersal.
Beeswax is another option that doesn’t produce soot or toxins when burned. They’re generally more expensive than paraffin candles, but tend to burn longer. You also get the sweet aroma of honey as the candle burns. Awww.
Tip: Be careful when you’re picking up a candle that touts itself as being made from soy or beeswax. Unless it explicitly states that it’s 100 percent composed of that ingredient, your candle could still contain paraffin. (In fact, I’ve seen candles for sale made with soywax and paraffin blends, which I find somewhat perplexing.)
A few soywax brands to check out:
1. Anna Sova Luxury Organics (Candles are poured into 100 percent post-consumer-waste recycled glass)
2. Bluewick (With organic cotton-paper wicks)
3. Greenspace Candles (Wicks made from naturally grown hemp fibers)
4. Kobo Candles
5. Lotion Glow (Doubles as a massage oil)
5. Maddison Avenue
6. Pacifica Candles
Or make your own, yo.
Szarka said,
January 3, 2007 at 4:36 pm
I use this candle heating device in my small house. It’s like having a mini fireplace, and the pots catch the soot.
http://www.heatstick.com
Liz said,
January 3, 2007 at 5:52 pm
We got some Aloha Bay palm wax tapers and like them muchly. Fair Trade, etc. they were $5 for a box of 4. And no drips!
Jasmine said,
January 3, 2007 at 11:40 pm
Can I throw in a plug for Wendy at Dame Candle Co.? She is a one woman business in NYC making soy candles and she is a supporter of Brenda Dane’s knitting podcast. She has been dangerously close to having to give up the business, so I ordered a few as Christmas presents and thought they were great
Laurie said,
January 4, 2007 at 11:00 am
One of my biggest pet peeves is scented candles, because I can have terrible reactions to them. It is not easy to arrive at a party and have to decide whether to stick around and see if I’ll get a migraine or respiratory problems, make up an excuse and leave, or tell the host the truth and leave. The worst situation was two office mates who insisted on burning scented candles, despite my medical problems, and an unsympathetic boss.
If the soy candles are safe to all, that’s terrific! But it would be kinder to us sensitive folks to not burn scented candles (or plug-ins) of any kind if you are expecting company, so that we don’t have to decide whether to get sick, lie, or be honest with you. When we smell perfume, we often just suffer or hit the road rather than risk offending someone about our problems with the fragrance.
Margot said,
January 4, 2007 at 6:26 pm
Great article! I’ve been phasing out my parafin candles - I’m too cheap to toss ‘em. Now that I read your post, perhaps I should have!
Laurie - well put. I have the exact same issues. I’m still recovering from perfume exposure at my mom’s over the holidays. She had steadfastly refused to believe how harmful ‘a little perfume’ can be. It was so bad this time, I left her house a day early. The sad part is, I think she still doesn’t get it. I won’t be sleeping there again; I can’t risk it.
Lisa said,
January 4, 2007 at 11:37 pm
Don’t forget Soy Basics (www.soybasics.com)!
LJ said,
January 6, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Anyone know anything about Method candles? They’re soy based, but I don’t know much else about them. Bought one at Target.
Chris Anderson said,
January 7, 2007 at 6:59 pm
First, I’d NEVER bought a candle before, let-alone a soy candle. We recently started Zionsville Candle Company to add candles to our fundraising line (for a fundraising company I since sold.) Well, I quickly learned the advantages of soy when I had approximately 50 burning soy candles (on a weakly-supported shelf) crack and fall all over my body. I was covered from head-to-toe in soy wax, but did not suffer ANY burns. Also, after testing thousands of soy candles, our walls still look the same (from the day we painted them) ie, not soot damage. Although, just an fyi, from my research, it appears that soy candles do throw-off some soot, but no one in our company has had any adverse reactions. So be careful about the info you receive, as the person selling the product will be slanted toward his/her product. (I obviously sell soy candles, so this applies to me also, but I had NO motivation for choosing soy- it happened by accident.)
thanks
Chris
Lulu said,
January 8, 2007 at 10:10 am
Check out http://www.asoyfulcandleco.com
A co-worker started this company and all their soy candles are handpoured and have a really nice, subtle smell. I have friends who can’t handle the strong scents other candles put off, but really like these.
Audrey said,
January 9, 2007 at 5:08 pm
I do think Method candles are 100% soy. Their website implies as much. I got a couple for Christmas and they burn really nicely. I’ve only seen the ones the sell in the little ceramic pots, and I think that’s all they make, but I hope they expand their line to votives soon.
Here’s the link to the Method website:
http://www.methodhome.com/products/detail.php?prodName=6oz_vapple
Viola said,
January 15, 2007 at 2:21 am
I know what you mean about fragranced candles making you sick. That’s why I started a business called God’s Country Botanicals. I make 100% soy candles with essential oils. No toxic fumes, only beneficial oils being released into the air. I’m quite partial to my Lemon Pound Cake, but they do tend to make me hungry!
John said,
July 5, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Some of the so-called natural and candles contain only “traces” of essential oils and use mostly synthetic (chemical) fragrances. This keeps costs down. Bluewick (for example) uses synthetic fragrances. Not only is this unhealthy, but it is unkind to people who are sensitive to that.