How To Make Candles Sustainable

DIY Wednesday

There is almost nothing on earth I am more excited about than a new candle. In fact, I still have leftover, half-burned candles from my crazed Bath and Body Works days as a teen — this is a long time love affair with lighting stuff on fire!

But in recent years, I’ve seen so many more confusing labels attached to candles produced by both small businesses and large corporations. Things like labeling candles with alternative waxes like soy, coconut, and beeswax, or words like “low-tox” and the unbearably vague “eco-friendly”. But what is the best option here? Are candles good for us, or our environment? Let’s find out.

A lot of mass-produced candles (bringing up B&BW again here) are made with paraffin wax. Paraffin wax is made from a byproduct of petroleum that’s been bleached and processed into a wax. A lot of people interested in reducing the toxins in their lives have blamed paraffin wax for a whole host of health issues, like asthma, eye irritation, and even heart conditions. Many have cited a 2009 study done by South Carolina State University which stated that when burning paraffin wax “inhalation of these dangerous pollutants drifting in the air could contribute to the development of health risks like cancer, common allergies and even asthma”.

Others have said that this particular study has not been peer-reviewed nor is especially conclusive, so take that with your own research. However, paraffin wax candles definitely do release soot into the air, which can be both a lung and eye irritant. All smoke is bad in too much excess, but burning a purer wax with natural scents (like essential oils) is less likely to cause irritation.

Regardless of your opinion on the health aspects of paraffin, you should still consider your wax options. Coconut, soy, and beeswax are some of the most common biodegradable waxes on the market, but it’s difficult to quantify the sustainability between the three. Beeswax is generally disavowed by vegans, but it can be sourced locally, requires less processing than other waxes, and produces less soot than traditional waxes like paraffin. Soy wax is something easily found to be homegrown in the U.S., meaning you can support domestic workers and create fewer emissions from the transport. (Be aware of soy-paraffin wax blends, though, if you’re looking for a pure soy option). Coconut wax is said to be sustainable because it doesn’t require heavy machinery for harvest and has a low need for fertilizer and pesticides, but is also grown overseas and requires much more transport than U.S. soy wax.

The bottom line regarding wax choices is that there is not one perfectly sustainable solution. Emissions from transport, the ethics of the labor used to produce the wax, and the amount of soot your candle produces are all things to consider when buying your candles. In general, buying locally from small candle makers is going to be more sustainable and helpful to your local economy!

So, will paraffin wax candles give you cancer? Not definitively, no. But, if you want to buy candles which are more sustainable and healthier to burn, here are some of my suggestions:

• Make sure your wicks are lead-free. This shouldn’t really be a problem because the usage of lead wicks in candles was banned in 2003 here in the states, but it doesn’t hurt to check! Pure cotton or wood wicks are a safe bet for a cleaner burn.

• Check the fragrance. In general, the term “fragrance” is a pretty unregulated ingredient in American products, so while it may not necessarily be harmful or irritating, you also probably won’t know exactly what it means. I’ve found that products containing fragrance have had a tendency to irritate my skin, and highly fragranced paraffin wax candles have even made my eyes burn (a hard bargain for something that smells so awesome!).

• Think about the container it comes in. Is it in a jar or metal tin you can reuse/re-gift/repurpose into something new? Maybe even make into a new candle yourself? You can easily clean candle containers by removing the bottom wick with tweezers or pliers, filling it with very hot water, and then you can watch the wax float to the top to be easily removed and reused! An olive/coconut oil and baking soda paste can be used to scrub out any remaining candle residue after completing this process.

• Maintain your candles. By trimming your wicks after every burn, your candles will not only burn more evenly (avoiding that awful tunneling effect), you will also be putting less soot into the air by snipping off those blackened bits of wick.

• Consider buying a rechargeable lighter for your candles! I found a USB powered one online for around $15, and it’s already been a whole year of not needing to purchase and throw away plastic barbecue lighters. Plus, electric lighters look like tiny tasers which is just cool (they have an electrical current instead of a flame!).

• If you really want to go the extra mile, you can also swap burning candles for using an aromatherapy diffuser! With pure essential oils and water, there isn’t any soot, smoke, or artificial fragrances to worry about breathing in. But, no shame in still enjoying the occasional candle, either.

Happy burning! (sorry that this sounds a little more ominous than usual)

Grace Kennedy