What type of wax is generally used in candles?
Paraffin is the predominant wax used in the candle industry. Paraffin is basically the “bottom of the barrel” even after asphalt is extracted. Paraffin is the final byproduct in the petroleum refining chain. Q) When did paraffin candles first appear on the market? About 120 years ago, candles began to be mass-produced for commercial use. Q) What makes paraffin candles hazardous to our health? David Krause, an air quality engineer and former employee of the Florida Department of Health, says that the soot given off from the burning of paraffin candles is the same as that given off by burning diesel fuel. Some of the air contaminants in paraffin fumes include toluene, benzene, methyl ethylketone (MEK), and naphthalene-substances found in paint, lacquer and varnish removers. The Evironmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that benzene and toluene are probable human carcinogens. The state of California, under its Proposition 65 Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986,
