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Research about scented candles and their emissions is limited, but experts say candle lovers may want to think twice about their next purchase. Candles have been made from a variety of waxes, but most modern candles are made of paraffin, a wax created as a byproduct of petroleum refinement. According to the National Candle Association, paraffin is the most popular candle wax worldwide.
The material does not have a ton of research surrounding it, but the few studies that have been conducted came to mixed conclusions. In short, the data does not directly indicate that the paraffin is bad for your health but also did not find that the wax is not bad for your health. The major issue with paraffin is that burning it emits “volatile organic compounds,” also known as VOCs, which are compounds that become gas at room temperature.
Not all VOCs are inherently dangerous, but some can be harmful to inhale or can react with other gases in the air to create harmful effects. Paraffin specifically releases the VOC toluene, which is a registered toxin with multiple government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Many paraffin candles also release the VOC benzene, which is a known carcinogen.
Again, because of the lack of exhaustive research on the topic, it’s hard to say if the candles release enough of the VOCs to actually cause major health issues, but experts said that customers should be careful nonetheless. Experts told CNN that other “safer” alternatives include soy wax or beeswax candles with cotton or wood wicks but still noted that burning anything will result in possibly harmful chemicals being emitted. Content from The National Desk is provided by Sinclair, the parent company of FOX45 News.
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