Most people do not know that paraffin based candles generate soot, the same as burning diesel fuel.
Paraffin wax is a petroleum based product.
Consider the process of making paraffin wax.
It begins at the bottom of the oil barrel, the worst 5% or so rejected by the gasoline industry.
This by-product of crude oil refinement is then mixed with another less-than-enticing substance; industrial strength bleach.
This is what gives wax its familiar pleasant whiteness.
Now add stearic acid and a few other minor ingredients, and you have the very wax burning in your homes.
An interview with David Krause, an air quality engineer, in the October 2000 issue of Healthy & Natural Journal yielded the following information: Some of the air contaminants in paraffin fumes include toluene, benzene, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), and naphthalene--substances found in paint, lacquer and varnish removers.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that benzene and toluene are probable human carcinogens.
When asked about the wicks, he said about 30 percent of the candles on the market have lead core wicks.
Lead and zinc are metals commonly used in the core of the wicks.
The metal makes the wicks stand up straight making candle manufacturing easier.
The University of Michigan recently conducted a study which showed that one-third of the candles tested from the United States and overseas released more lead into the air than is recommended as safe by the EPA.
The study also showed the amounts of lead in the air increased the longer they burn.
Even many of the seemingly healthy aromatherapy candles sold today can do more harm than good.
The newly popular gel candles are also petroleum-based and, though contrary to widely circulated emails, they are not likely to explode, they do pose a danger.
If sufficient heat builds up, the glass container housing them can shatter.
Most who become aware of the harmful toxins released by paraffin no longer want to expose their families to it, but know little or nothing about alternative waxes.
One excellent alternative is our triple scented gourmet soy candles.
They are made from natural materials such as vegetable, plant, and soy.
These natural ingredients burn clean, giving you a healthy alternative to paraffin candles.
These are practically soot free which means no more black stuff on your walls or jars.
They are nontoxic and environmentally safe too! These candles are hand poured using a natural wax blend of soy, vegetable and plant components.
The wicks are both lead and zinc free.
They are infused with as much as triple the highest quality fragrances (up to 9%!).
The average one has as little as 1/3 the fragrance of our candles (as low as 3%).
These scents are distributed through the entire candle so you get the same incredible scent from start to finish! This natural wax blend is also water-soluble so if you spill any wax or spew wax when you blow out your candle, it can be easily cleaned up with soap and water.
Our triple scented gourmet soy ones are competitively priced and since the natural wax blend burns cooler, they have a low melting point which enables them to burn longer making it an outstanding value! The average jar candle burns approximately 50-100 hrs!