Holiday Candles Can Be Health Hazards.

• Position: Health House Project of the American Lung Association report on holiday candles and potential health problems - Brief Article

During the holiday season, people may be buying candles as gifts for loved ones as well as for home decor accents to brighten up the dark winter months. According to studies, 96% of women purchase candles, and seven of 10 homes burn them on a regular basis. The Health House Project of the American Lung Association would like to alert homeowners to a growing problem: Burning candles, particularly scented and slow-burning ones, may create a health hazard.

Toxic emissions from candles can include lead and mercury as well as volatile organic compounds such as benzene and acetone. According to Dianne Walsh Astry, Health House spokesperson, "Candles are fast becoming one of the most common unrecognized causes of poor indoor air quality. What we have traditionally associated with mom and apple pie can create an unhealthy indoor environment."

Studies conducted by the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, show that slow-burning, scented, and aromatic candles produce a large amount of soot or black carbon that can damage a home, its contents, and the ventilation system. There is evidence that candle emissions can harm the central nervous, cardiovascular, and blood systems...