Choose the Right Candlewick and Avoid Lead Poisoning

There's nothing more delicate than a burning, scented candle. With it, you can create a relaxing or a romantic atmosphere. A candle can also have a nostalgic effect. People spend much time looking for the right color and the right scent. However, did you know that the wrong candlewick could make you and your family ill? Wicks fall in two categories, non-cored and cored. It's important to choose the right one to avoid lead poisoning.

Non-cored wicks made of natural fiber such as cotton are the safest to burn. It's important to choose a candle with a non-cored wick since the metal-core is what generally produces the lead. Another advantage of this type of wick is that it absorbs the liquid wax quickly and easily to keep the candle burning.

Cored wicks are usually made of cotton too, but may contain a stiff core, which was traditionally made of lead. However, the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned lead in the U.S. decades ago due to health concerns involving lead poisoning. According to the Public Citizen's Health Research Group, The National Candle Association stopped using lead-cored wicks in 1974 due to the health risks involved with lead. Additionally, the report stated that a candle containing the least amount of lead, if burnt for three hours could produce enough air lead for a six-year-old to reach the maximum recommended daily limit in just 45 minutes. Another interesting fact is that 12 different stores in the Washington-Baltimore area carried lead-cored candles. The report concluded by stating, "There is no reliable method to distinguish lead-containing wicks from other metal-cored wicks."

Air lead can end up as deposits on surfaces in the home and introduced into the body days later by anyone who comes in contact with it. Consequences of lead poisoning may be irreversible neurological damage as well as cardiovascular and renal disease. The symptoms include insomnia, nausea, lethargy, abdominal pain and irritability.

To avoid lead poisoning, it's important to buy candles or wicks from reputable manufacturers. If you buy imported candles, buy them from countries that don't use chemicals and materials banned in North America. Ask questions about the materials used in the wick. If the seller is not informed or won't tell you, consider going to a different store or choose a different candle. You may also consider buying the candle at a health food store. Their products are normally free of any toxic chemicals or materials and generally contain a product information label.

If you buy, preferably, non-cored candlewicks from reputable manufacturers and remember to ask the right questions, you'll be taking all the precautions humanly possible to avoid introducing lead into your home.

My Source:
Public Citizen's Health Research Group's petition filed on February 24, 2000 to ban and recall candles with lead-containing wicks.
http://www.citizen.org/publications/release.cfm?ID=6711