Toxins in Burning Candles, Candle Wicks, and Incense
A collection of important articles regarding the dangers of wax candles can be found at this web site: http://www.anapsid.org/cnd/mcs/candles.html
Is gel safer than wax?
Our candles are made from medical-grade white mineral oil, the same gel used by the pharmaceuticals industry to coat our gel capsules. When burned according to directions, they will give you many clean, beautiful, fragrant hours of burning. In fact, they burn 3 to 5 times longer than paraffin candles, dollar for dollar. And they are a "green" product as well! When the candle is gone, just remove the wick and wick tab with pliers and place the urn upside down in the dishwasher. Place the lid on the top shelf. The glass urn and lid finish sparkling clean and ready for immediate use. The unit is foodsafe and airtight.
Much has been made of the myth of the "exploding gel candle." The myth is propagated by wax marketing people, because alternative fuels like soy and gel have made a significant dent in their sales. In actuality, gel candles do not explode. When made correctly and burned according to directions, the only part that liquifies is the top eighth-inch of gel. Therefore the candle burns cool to the touch. It is the melting of that top layer that releases all the wonderful fragrance, because the product is heat-sensitive.
Our candles, when cold, release only about 35 percent of their fragrance. It is the melting of the top layer that triggers the release of the intricate notes that combine with the large fragrance notes. The result is wonderful fragrance that lasts all the way to the bottom of the candle!
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Paraffin is the “bottom of the barrel” of the petroleum refining chain, remaining even after asphalt is extracted. In its Proposition 65 Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, the California legislature identified at least seven major toxins released into the air when wax candles are burned. Three of these toxins -- toluene, benzene and napthalene -- can cause cancer.
The EPA is on its second study of “Transmission of Particular Matter through Burning Candles”. All toxins are present in the micro-particles of greasy black soot released by even the most expensive wax candles. This soot deposits itself on the insides of your lungs every time you inhale. If you’ve ever tried to scrape hardened wax off a flat surface, just imagine it clinging to your lung tissue! At high risk for health damage are children, pets and those with compromised immune systems — i.e., asthma, allergies, cancer, etc.*
Why haven't you heard about this up to now? Over 90 percent of our National Candle Association's members are involved with wax candles and nobody wanted to kill the $4 billion a year cash cow. In this economy, profits before people is the mantra. They'll make money first and worry about us later.
Our government collects hazardous product tariffs on all wax candles that float into this country from China and India, because neither country regulates lead. That means in addition to all the toxins in the paraffin, you can add the chance there will be lead in the wick. Then those same hazardous products are allowed to be stocked and sold to us by retailers such as the Dollar Store, Wal-Mart, Christmas Tree Shops, Pier One Imports, Illuminations, Bombay Company and Pottery Barn.
Why? When products are made with 35-cent-an-hour labor, the profits are too good to pass up. Buy for pennies — sell for dollars. Corporate greed.
We at Gelissimo are morally committed to protecting both the health of our customers and the health of the U.S. economy. We do this by purchasing only from domestic manufacturers and artisans. Thank you for supporting our efforts.
* http://www.anapsid.org/cnd/mcs/candles.html
