http://www.care2.com/greenliving/are-scented-candles-making-you-sick.html
Are Scented Candles Making You Sick?
By Melissa Breyer, Senior Editor, Care2
I remain fascinated by synthetic fragrance–both the science behind it and consumer-lust for it. Perfume for the body aside, synthetic fragrance is ubiquitous in personal care products, cleaning products, air fresheners, scented candles, you name it. Apparently we can’t get enough whiffs of Fresh Breeze, Mountain Spring and Lavender Field. If only they could do some Willy Wonka magic and really capture the scent of a fresh breeze, it most certainly wouldn’t smell like what we’re being taught to think!
The sense of smell is the strongest of senses, and the least understood. What’s clear is that we thrive on good smells; and it seems to me like we have been subtly strong-armed into thinking that synthetic “fresh” smells are better than the natural smells of living. Maybe that would a bit more acceptable to me if synthetic scent wasn’t proven to be so flippin’ toxic.
A study performed by the EPA found that numerous potentially hazardous chemicals are commonly used in fragrance, including acetone, benzaldehyde, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, camphor, ethanol, ethyl acetate, limonene, linalool, and methylene chloride. According to Material Data Safety Sheets, when inhaled these chemicals can cause central nervous system disorders, dizziness, nausea, slurred speech, drowsiness, irritation to the mouth, throat, eyes, skin, and lungs, kidney damage, headache, respiratory failure, ataxia, and fatigue, among other things.
With scented candles we have the extra harm caused by the soot emitted from many of these aromatherapy products. Breathing soot is a big no-no. Soot particles can travel deep into the lungs and are a particular health nuisance for those with asthma, and lung or heart disease. To make matters worse, many scented and aromatherapy candles are made with paraffin–a byproduct of oil refining. The soot from these materials can contain carcinogens, neurotoxins and reproductive toxins.
The American Lung Association of Minnesota says that burning candles can emit small amounts of toxins such as acetone, benzene, lead and mercury into the air. Although they say that normal use of candles should not pose a health hazard, large quantities of these toxins may prove to be harmful. I’d say I’m a little more pessimistic than that.
Unscented, 100 percent beeswax candles with a cotton wick are the safest option–but aren’t suitable for vegan candle-lovers who should opt for unscented soy-based candles.
The American Lung Association of Minnesota recommends the following tips to minimize candle soot pollution in your home:
• Because many scented and slow burning candles may contain metals, consumers should look to see if the core of the wick is shiny metal. If you see metal, do not burn, or check with the manufacturer.
• When you do burn candles, keep the wicks cut short to one-quarter of an inch.
• The longer the wick, the larger the flame, the brighter the candle, the more the soot.
• Keep candles away from drafty places. Wind will blow soot and toxins into the air and cause inefficient burning, a cause of smoking or sooting.
• Do not shake or tip candles because the candle can smoke and send soot into the air to land on walls, carpets and furniture.
• Keep candles in places away from children and pets. Besides fire hazard, small children and animals may accidentally disturb a candle, causing it to smoke and release soot.
• Avoid putting small children directly on carpet. Lead and other pollutants from candles are attracted to synthetic fibers often used in upholstery and carpeting.
• Refrain from burning scented or slow-burning candles that have additives. Look for candles, such as beeswax, that do not contain high levels of pollutants.
• Keep your home clean. Vacuuming may just recirculate particles unless you use high-performance vacuum bags that catch micro particles.
• Use a good filtration system on your furnace that attracts micro particles. High performance furnace filters minimize the level of pollutants that circulate throughout your home. Changing filters more frequently will help reduce the amount of micro particles in the home.
• Be aware of candles and holiday products that have been recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
For more information of synthetic fragrance see Good Scents: Natural Perfume. Read more about air fresheners in Air Fresheners: Easy Greening.
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22 comments
add your comment »I hate artificial smells and have since I started using deodorant. I came home one day with a headache because of the clashing smells of my shampoo, deodorant and the perfume in the laundry detergent. We line dried so horrid dryer sheets were not an issue, but those scents make me gag when I have the misfortune of walking by a dryer vent. Yankee Candle shops give me a headache, too.
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All synthetic smells bother me, especially those with a petro-chemical base. It is difficult for me to not get a headache and sick if I am sitting next to a person with perfume or aftershave on a plane or in a theater. Yet, I do like natural scents like pine, etc. This sensitivity began when I was about 50 years old and has not gone away. It's sad because I used to like perfume, but no more!!
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I have a couple things to say/ask. First, Kristen Stacey: I don't think it was a typo. They weren't saying that putting kids on the floor will make your floors dirtier, they were saying that the toxins from the candles (and other things) would be attracted to the fibers in the floor, thereby making it more dangerous for the small child to be in direct contact with the floor. Second: Kari Miller, what kind of oils are used in the scentsy wax? I have asked several people this, and nobody seems to know. Also, can petroleum based wax (which is what scentsy wax is) really be safe? I know the FDA says it is, but they also say high fructose corn syrup is all natural, so their endorsment doesn't mean a whole lot.
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There are many alternatives to burning candles. I welcome you to take a peek at my website.
www.scentsy.com/km2
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Burning scented candles produces heavy, cloying fragrances that make my nose itch and run. If I want to scent the air, I prefer heating a cup containing a few drops of vanilla extract, which produces a pleasant, unobtrusive fragrance.
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I guess the beginning of my message got cut off. I have asthma, and the craze for scented everything is a real hazard to my health. Read the rest of the comment below!
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everything is a real hazard to my health. What's wrong with the smells of the real world? Obviously, the answer is that corporations can't make money from them! So they sell romance, cleanliness, social acceptance, etc. to sell their chemical additives and make everyone think that just the natural scent isn't enough! I'm tired of being manipulated! How about you?
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Burning candles is a romantic notion. The electric light was invented so we don't have to burn candles or gaslights. People were happy to be rid of the smoke, soot, and fire hazards posed by open flames. Regardless of the health effects from contaminated candles, which is not insignificant, candles are dangerous. Ever since the modern candle craze started, fire departments across this country have been warning against the use of candles outside of power outages. The incidence of house fires has gone up significantly because of untended and improperly used candles. Life is full of risks. You're 5000 times more likely to die in a car crash than in an airplane crash. Why take the risk of burning your home down and possibly killing yourself, family, and pets by regular use of candles? Also, if you're concerned about your home's value in a declining market, houses that reek of fragrance are starting to be a turn off to buyers. Scents are very personal. People will not buy a home that contains smells they don't like. Think of a relatively fragrance-free home as the olfactory equivalent of white walls. Home interiors painted in a variety of colors are harder to sell than ones with white walls. A neutral smelling home will sell faster. One last point. Israeli researchers have discovered people are genetically predisposed to like certain scents. Scent is very personal. Your favorite scent will be very unfavored by others. Something to think about before lighting that next candle.
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"Avoid putting small children directly on carpet. Lead and other pollutants from candles are attracted to synthetic fibers often used in upholstery and carpeting." I love this typo...if you don't put small children on your carpet, you're carpet will probably be cleaner!
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It's been a long known fact that scented candles are sickening & even killing pet birds. They used canaries in the mines years ago because their sudden death was a good warning system that there were toxic gases & the guys knew it was time to beat feet out of there. I managed a pet shop for years & subscribed to Bird Talk magazine for even longer - this isn't new news; people just insist on scenting their homes instead of cleaning.
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