Are scented candles harmful to health?

It is common to hear or read people claiming that scented candles are toxic. They produce vapors and particles which could be harmful if inhaled in large doses. However: How true are these claims?

A recent investigation by the New York Times brought together different voices of specialists and there was a pretty clear conclusion about it. We see.

First, the article references a 2014 study in which a group of researchers burned a scented paraffin candle in different sized rooms and used special tools to measure what was released into the air and there is leftover (think that paraffin wax is made from petroleum-based products).

The study’s finding was that even as potentially carcinogenic chemicals such as benzene and formaldehyde were produced, the highest levels measured after four hours of burning were less than half of the Organization’s recommended indoor air quality limits. World Health Organization (WHO).

A second source: the voice of Pamela Daltonan irritation and odor perception researcher at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, argues that burning candles release chemicals in “relatively mundane concentrations.”

Niketa Sadekara respiratory toxicologist at the Fragrance Materials Research Institute, believes exposure to chemicals emitted by scented candles “is so low that it does not pose a significant risk to human health.”

Along these lines, the authors of the first study concluded that, under normal conditions of use, “scented candles pose no known risk to consumer health“.

It is worth keeping in mind that overall there have been very few studies on the health effects of scented candles and most have been done by researchers in the candle industry. However, according to the Times, there are independent researchers who have said the results so far are solid.

So are they harmful or not? The conclusion of the research is that, with typical use, The dose that man receives from the toxic substances released by scented candles is much lower than that considered harmful to health..

However, to avoid all dangers, the National Candle Association recommends lighting candles in well-ventilated areas away from drafts and vents, keeping wicks trimmed to about one-quarter inch and making sure that the puddle of wax is free of residues.