After oil is extracted from the beans, it is hydrogenated, turning it into the solid form we see in wax candles. Soy wax and beeswax are highly viable alternatives and are arguably more sustainable.Īt Banyan Tree, our range of naturally-scented candles are made of soy wax, which is derived from soy beans. Even though its impact on human health is debatable, its relationship with non-renewable fossil fuels still deters the environmentally-conscious. Many brands are increasingly using more sustainable options in replacement of paraffin wax. Soy wax candles are clean-burning and come from a renewable resource. 3 This could, once again, be due to the presence of crude oil, as it is known to emit huge amounts of particulate pollution when burned. Alarmingly, the level of pollutants detected exceeded that of high-traffic roads. On top of that, a 2004 study by Maastricht University also discovered levels of potentially carcinogenic polycyclic hydrocarbons in churches, presumably due to the burning of low-quality paraffin wax candles over long periods of time. It has also been the cause of a slew of environmental calamities, in oil spills, damage of natural habitats and climate change. Crude oil, being the origin of paraffin wax, is considered highly unsustainable due to it being a non-renewable resource. Both organisation cite an industry-funded study 2 in 2007 which reported that none of the candle waxes tested, including paraffin wax, soy wax and beeswax, produced benzene.īanyan Tree Essentials soy wax candles, in glass or tinĮven though the health effects of paraffin wax are as yet undetermined, its environmental impact are less ambiguous. Many have also spoken out in defense of paraffin wax, including the European Candle Association and the National Candle Association. That said, the same study also states that it would take years of exposure for health problems to occur. This study garnered widespread controversy on the effects of paraffin wax versus that of soy wax, resulting in an increased demand for soy wax candles. It is also reported that frequent lighting of multiple paraffin candles in an unventilated space could lead to problems commonly associated with paraffin wax: irritation of skin and respiratory tract. 1 Soy candles, in the same research, were not found to emit toxic chemicals. In 2009, a study by South Carolina State University found that burning paraffin wax candles give off harmful fumes (toluene and benzene) which is linked to asthma and lung cancer. It has been claimed that paraffin wax releases toxic fumes when burnt, which has contributed to its fall out of favour. How has paraffin wax earned its bad name? Today, petroleum-based paraffin wax can be found in candles, wax paper, polishes, cosmetics, and electrical insulators, among other commercial items. Through a dewaxing process that crude oil undergoes, paraffin wax is derived and is then processed further for use in products. Paraffin wax is a byproduct of the oil purification process. This World Environment Day, we endeavour to explain some of the chemical terms you may find in body care products and why, at Banyan Tree, we are proud to be free from them.
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