THE DIRT
As autumn descends upon us, the romantic light of candles can add a beautiful atmosphere to any home. However many candles are made from non-renewable resources and often also release synthetic chemicals that can be harmful to human health.

Many candles are made from petroleum derived paraffin which can release carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Additionally the wick may contain lead in candles from overseas. Many candles are also synthetically fragranced exposing you to hormone disrupting phthalates.

A study by Krause (1999) from the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the College of Public Health, University of Florida found that fragranced candles released a variety of Volatile Organic Compounds including;
 * Benzene
 * Styrene
 * Toluene
 * Ethyl benzene
 * Napthalene
 Four of the 91 candles tested also emitted significant quantities of aerolized lead.  Read more about this study.

When looking for candles opt for petroleum free versions that burn for around 50% longer, produce far less smoke and no toxic emissions.  Avoid candles that are fragranced with ‘fragrant oils’, ‘parfum’ or ‘fragrance’ which usually indicate a synthetic fragrance.  Many candles claim to be eco-friendly and non-toxic purely because they do not have lead in the wick. Lead had been banned in candles in Australia since 1999 and these 'psuedo natural' candles are still often made of paraffin and contain synthetic fragrance. Check out some truly natural and safe candles in today's 'Come Clean' section.