“Regular candles,” i.e. that bag of tealights you can buy for five bucks, are made from paraffin. As the name implies, paraffin candles are made from paraffin wax, a by-product of petroleum refining. The result? A highly toxic (and environmentally unfriendly) product that literally poisons the air you breathe. Paraffin wax starts as the sludge at the bottom of the barrel of crude oil. Even asphalt is extracted before paraffin in the refining process! The black sludge, already filled with numerous toxins, undergoes bleaching and treatment by carcinogens benzene and/or toulene. And the chemicals don’t stop there. Chemists mix in toxic concoctions of colors and fragrances to make this waste product marketable and appealing. The final result is a innocent looking candle which releases seven documented toxins –two of which are carcinogenic–when it burns. And toxins aren’t the only problem with burning paraffin candles. Over time, repeatedly burning paraffin candles leaves black soot stains on walls, ceilings, furniture, and drapery. The microscopic soot particles at fault for the cosmetic damage also cause serious health problems. These tiny particles are easily inhaled and get trapped in the deepest part of the lungs, which may cause respiratory irritation. by empoweredsustenance/beeswax-candles-and-allergies-an-effective-solution/
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 23:34:35 +0000
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