The ‘exhaust’ or soot from paraffin candles has been examined by the Australian Government’s National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC). The NOHSC recommends workplace exposure limits of 2 milligrams of paraffin fume per cubic meter, over an eight-hour period*.
So to be safe, it is permissible to burn 2mg for each cubic meter of air space in a confined room, over an 8 hour period (when you are working/sleeping/resting). Let’s say for example, your room is a 30 cubic meter room, [3 meters x 4 meters x 2.5 meters high}. Each 8 hour paraffin tea light will hold up to 20,000 mg – so, back inside the 30 cubic meter room of workspace, you are permitted only 60mg in this air space, to be safe, over an 8 hour period.
So, inside the 30 cubic meter room with the windows and doors shut, if you are burning 2 paraffin 8-hour tealight candles, you may well need to evacuate that room in under 3 minutes, to be safe. This information is according to almost all international standards on paraffin fume.
Under fire decomposition, paints and scents in fume can be by far more more dangerous to you and/or your children’s health, especially where there are heavy metals involved in the ingredients, such as paints.
One should be very cautious if you choose to buy or burn a candle that has been decorated, or potentially worse, painted or dyed or perfumed.
Northern Light Candle Company’s candles contain no paraffin.
*Source: Australian Government National Occupational Health and Safety.
