Are Candles Bad for You?
Burning candles can pollute the air indoors. The EPA says burning or combusting almost anything produces particulate matter, names candles along with tobacco, heating and cooking appliances and fireplaces as indoor sources, and says these sources can also release harmful combustion byproducts such as carbon monoxide directly into the indoor environment.
Wicks with lead in them are covered by a federal ban. An EPA literature review published in 2001 said burning candles with lead-core wicks may result in indoor lead concentrations above EPA-recommended thresholds. Under the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s rule at 16 CFR 1500.17, candles manufactured or imported on or after October 15, 2003 with metal-cored wicks are banned unless the metal core is no more than 0.06 percent lead by weight and the shipping containers are labeled as conforming to the rule.
For people with asthma there is newer evidence. In a 2023 Aarhus University study, 36 young people with asthma spent five hours at a time in climate chambers breathing emissions from burning candles, emissions from cooking, and clean air. The researcher behind it said pollution from candles and cooking can lead to irritation and inflammation in young people with mild asthma, including indications of DNA damage and signs of inflammation in the blood. The EPA says the best way to reduce indoor particulate matter is usually to reduce its sources, and that some, such as burning candles, may be possible to stop completely.
Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.
The sources behind this answer
- Government sourceThe EPA says burning almost anything produces particulate matter, names candles with tobacco, heating and cooking appliances and fireplaces as indoor sources, and says they can also release harmful combustion byproducts such as carbon monoxide. US EPA ↗
- Government sourceThe EPA says the best way to reduce indoor particulate matter is usually to reduce its sources, and that some sources, such as burning candles, may be possible to stop completely. US EPA ↗
- StudyAn EPA literature review published in 2001 said burning candles and incense can be sources of particulate matter, and that burning candles with lead-core wicks may result in indoor lead concentrations above EPA-recommended thresholds. US EPA Science Inventory ↗
- Regulatory filingFederal rule 16 CFR 1500.17 bans candles manufactured or imported on or after October 15, 2003 made with metal-cored wicks, unless the metal core is no more than 0.06 percent lead by weight and the shipping containers are labeled as conforming. US Consumer Product Safety Commission, eCFR ↗
- StudyIn a 2023 Aarhus University exposure study, 36 young people with asthma were exposed in climate chambers to emissions from cooking, emissions from burning candles and clean air, five hours each time. Aarhus University ↗
- StudyThe Aarhus researcher said indoor air pollution from cooking fumes and burning candles can lead to irritation and inflammation in young people with mild asthma, including indications of DNA damage and signs of inflammation in the blood. Aarhus University ↗
Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.