Candles and lead

It's scary what we can be bringing into our homes without realising it isn't it? One of the articles you posted mentioned that a ban on lead in candles was accepted in 2000 though. Surely that's gone through by now? There's another article you might be interested in on Snopes: http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/leadwick.asp I always go there first when these stories surface because some of them are urban legends, like the lead in lipstick scare that resurfaces every now and again. The Snopes article says that to test if a candle has lead in it, you need to rub a piece of white paper on the tip of an unburnt wick; if the wick leaves a light grey mark, it has a lead core. The majority of wicks are now made entirely of cotton though, with no lead in the core. The U.K. hasn't used lead in wicks since the 70s. It's also interesting and worrying to see what other harmful agents a candle has, for example, carcinogenic dyes and paraffin fumes. Nothing's safe these days ;) I'll keep using my Yankee Candle jars though I think! *lol*

I don't burn candles at all, that is unless the power goes out. I used to work for a cleaning and restoration company. I cleaned up after fires, I have done many fires caused by candles. Most of them the candles were being properly burned and placed in a safe location. Things happen, I took care of one fire that took out a 4 bedroom home with an attached garage. All from a glade candle sitting on the kitchen counter, it exploded. I have previous read about the lead content, good post. There are lots of people not aware of this.

This really scares me because we frequently burn candles in our home. I love the scents. Honestly, is anything safe anymore? I wonder if anyone has listed 'safe' candle brands so that those of us who love them can burn them with a clear conscious?

so,.... are these candles imported? maybe from china? or are some of them even manufactured here? how terribly upsetting. I do use 100% beeswax candles - that are home crafted (not at my home though) I am wondering if that is any bit of a safeguard. is it only scented candles that pose the threat?

WOW! I haven't had candles for years because the child were small and stuff. I pjs were set on fire when I was 8 because of candles and where scared of them around my children. But I got a few gifts this Christmas that were these beautiful candle sets that I thought would be nice while I took a bath or something. Considering I am nervous already to have candles around, this is another thing to be concerned with. Maybe I will just have they there for display cause they are pretty. Gosh!

I don't burn a lot of candles with kids around but it is good information to know so that when I do buy one I don't bring more toxins into the home - thanks!

From what I recall about this, there are very few - if any - candles with lead core wicks anymore. They were banned many places quite a few years ago. A lot of places that sell candels will disclose what types of wick is used in their candle making.

Wow!! I had absolutely NO idea that there was lead in some of the wicks. Thanks for the links so that we could read more about it. I get lots of candles for presents here and there, and I burn them at night lots of times just because I love the fragarances. Knowing the dangers of lead, I can't believe that there are companies (esp in the U.S.) that are doing this! Thanks again, I hadn't a clue about this all!

Thanks for the information. I use incense to replace candles.Incense is good in purifying the air.

I do not burn any candles. We use Febreez and spray into the air. I am wary about candles, because when the power went out and the lights went out, that is when we brought out the candles. It does not matter how sweet smelling they are, to me candles means the electricity does not work. I would also be wary of lead in anything. Who knows maybe I would have been a brain surgeon if it were not for the lead in my environment when I was a child.

The problem our country is having is: we are allowing too many products in from overseas, particularily China. I do not mean to pick on the Chinese as a people but their govenment does not have any restrictions on the carcinogens of products like other countries do. There are no proper checks being made to see if the products are safe until something bad happens and then the products are recalled. Too little too late I say. The people should not be the ones policing the products. I think the best we can do is to start reading labels closer and start boycotting the products that are unsafe and the companies that keep insisting on dealing in these products. We know who they are. They are even putting their own brand names on some things to make them look as though they were "American Made". Do not let this fool you!