Paraffin wax dangers

As a nurse, I am particularly concerned with the potential adverse health effects of burning candles, what chemicals we might be breathing as we burn them, and how to make our air as clean and healthy as possible. 

Soy wax, which are what our candles are 100% made from, is a natural, renewable, vegan, plant resource. It burns cleanly without releasing dangerous chemicals and soot into the air. 

Paraffin wax, however, is derived from the production and refining of oil and gasoline, a NON renewable resource, that releases hazardous chemicals and black soot when burned. The EPA has concluded that the burning of paraffin wax emits harmful chemicals. Burning fossil fuels releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. These chemicals pollute your air, are inhaled into your lungs while the candle is burning, and the soot is coating the surfaces of your home. You can liken sitting near a burning paraffin wax candle to sitting near the exhaust of a diesel engine. These chemicals are hazardous to humans and also to the animals who may be living with them. Lab animals have developed kidney tumors after exposure to paraffin fumes.

Some paraffin wax candles have used wicks that contain lead, to help the wick stand up in the wax, leading to hazardous levels or airborne particles of the heavy metal, that are also being sucked right into your lungs. Lead exposure is the culprit of many health issues, including behavioral problems and learning disabilities in children. In 2003, the U.S. Product Safety Commission banned the use and sale of lead wicks in the U.S., but we can't guarantee what imported candles might contain. The NIH National Library of Medicine published research on paraffin poisoning 

The Centers for Disease Control has documented that paraffin causes irritation to the eyes, skin, respiratory system and digestive system. Many people experience adverse health reactions with exposure to lit paraffin wax candles, such as difficulty breathing, headaches, nausea, and heartburn. Avoid these commercial candles for the sake of your health. Vegetable wax candles are a much cleaner and healthier option, such as candles made from soy, coconut, beeswax, apricot wax and palm wax. 

Several of our customers have told us that our candles are the only candles they can burn that do not cause these uncomfortable symptoms, due to the purity of our candles! <3