ᐅ Can you manage it...?
Created on: 5 Oct 2012 11:11
L
lichtejani
...to just walk past the decoration section without buying anything? I never manage to do that! My husband once asked me where I was going to put all the things I bought. Well, he has no idea! I always find a spot... I've never made a bad purchase.
It's just the total at the checkout that always surprises me. It usually costs only a few cents or maybe one euro... but at the register, the amount often ends up being three digits... do you know what I mean?
It's just the total at the checkout that always surprises me. It usually costs only a few cents or maybe one euro... but at the register, the amount often ends up being three digits... do you know what I mean?
G
gandalf_817516 Feb 2015 16:19Never! At least candles always work!
G
gandalf_81751 Jul 2015 15:35We probably all need to reconsider our candle usage:
Fine Dust from Candles & Incense Sticks
When red candles create a cozy atmosphere in living rooms during winter in Germany, many still remember hearing on the car radio that fine dust limits were once again exceeded in cities. Traffic and industry are quickly identified as the main sources in public discussions. Common habits like smoking are rarely considered as contributors and are often dismissed. “Fine dust from candles” – that can’t be true.
However, fine dust limits are particularly and frequently exceeded indoors. It’s not just by one or two percentage points; concentrations inside often reach multiples of the outdoor air limits. Despite this, the issue of hazardous indoor air quality rarely enters public debate.
Raising Awareness with Facts on Fine Dust, Candles & Related Sources
Fine dust refers to extremely small soot, smoke, and dust particles created by combustion, with sizes below ten micrometers (less than one hundredth of a millimeter). This is a size hard to imagine. When inhaled, these particles quickly damage the lungs, especially with prolonged exposure. Some particles are strongly carcinogenic, and they can often trigger allergies. The smaller the particles, the deeper they penetrate into the lungs. Children are particularly vulnerable.
Fine Dust Limit (PM10)
The European standard for fine dust pollution is set at 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air (50 µg/m3). This limit must not be exceeded. However, a study with over 100,000 participants found that significant health damage can occur even at much lower concentrations.
An annual increase of PM2.5 fine dust (particles measuring 2.5 micrometers or less) concentration by five micrograms per cubic meter of air raises the risk of heart attack or angina by 12 percent. For PM10 particles, the risk of heart problems rises by 13 percent with just a 10 microgram increase per cubic meter.
The EU limit for PM2.5 in outdoor air is 25 micrograms per cubic meter, while the WHO recommends a more stringent limit of only 10 micrograms per cubic meter.
ShareSource
39.7 %Small consumers/households
38.2 %Industry and machinery
7.5 %Agriculture
5.2 %Diesel passenger cars
5.1 %Trucks and buses
4.3 %Heating and power plants
Table (not infographic): Percentage share of different sources contributing to overall fine dust pollution (PM10). Source: ÖAMTC (Data: 2010)
This table clearly shows a discrepancy between the common public perception of causes and actual data. Households and industry together are responsible for three quarters of fine dust pollution. Traffic, while important at nearly 20%, ranks well behind these sources.
Fireplaces, Candles, Cigarettes: The Hidden Sources
While industry has steadily improved its fine dust emissions and the automotive sector has optimized diesel engines in this regard, household efforts remain minimal. This is reflected in the table. Within private households, major contributors include candles, incense sticks, cigarettes, and fireplaces, creating serious and hazardous fine dust pollution.
Fine Dust Source #1: Cigarette Smoke
Cigarette smoke indoors raises PM10 levels permanently by 20 – 50 µg/m3 of air, exceeding the EU limit by 40% to 100%. This increase is regularly measured in smoker households. Peak concentrations in these homes can reach up to 1,000 µg/m3, which is twenty times the limit. While industry strives to stay under 50 µg/m3, smokers accept exposures from 100 up to 1,000 µg/m3 without question. This clearly shows the urgent need for greater awareness.
Fine Dust from Candles
The pollution caused by incense sticks and candles is no less dangerous. Although they typically produce concentrations in the range of a few hundred µg/m3 (still multiple times the EU limit of 50 µg/m3), these sources pose risks for chronic and acute respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular problems, and cancer. It is precisely during the cozy moments of the cold season, with candle scents and aromas of musk and sandalwood in the air, that we harm our own health.
Particularly harmful: When incense sticks burn down, they release carcinogens like benzene and formaldehyde. Their ingredients — such as sawdust, resin, and aromatic substances — are responsible. Burning candles emit especially high amounts of fine dust particles, releasing 10 to 20 times more than other sources. A frustrating fact is that the fine dust from candles remains airborne for hours, thus continuously inhaled.
Four Measures to Reduce Fine Dust Indoors
Finally, here are four simple measures to reduce fine dust levels indoors (applicable for apartments, shared spaces at workplaces, and offices).
Source: industry-press.com
Fine Dust from Candles & Incense Sticks
When red candles create a cozy atmosphere in living rooms during winter in Germany, many still remember hearing on the car radio that fine dust limits were once again exceeded in cities. Traffic and industry are quickly identified as the main sources in public discussions. Common habits like smoking are rarely considered as contributors and are often dismissed. “Fine dust from candles” – that can’t be true.
However, fine dust limits are particularly and frequently exceeded indoors. It’s not just by one or two percentage points; concentrations inside often reach multiples of the outdoor air limits. Despite this, the issue of hazardous indoor air quality rarely enters public debate.
Raising Awareness with Facts on Fine Dust, Candles & Related Sources
Fine dust refers to extremely small soot, smoke, and dust particles created by combustion, with sizes below ten micrometers (less than one hundredth of a millimeter). This is a size hard to imagine. When inhaled, these particles quickly damage the lungs, especially with prolonged exposure. Some particles are strongly carcinogenic, and they can often trigger allergies. The smaller the particles, the deeper they penetrate into the lungs. Children are particularly vulnerable.
Fine Dust Limit (PM10)
The European standard for fine dust pollution is set at 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air (50 µg/m3). This limit must not be exceeded. However, a study with over 100,000 participants found that significant health damage can occur even at much lower concentrations.
An annual increase of PM2.5 fine dust (particles measuring 2.5 micrometers or less) concentration by five micrograms per cubic meter of air raises the risk of heart attack or angina by 12 percent. For PM10 particles, the risk of heart problems rises by 13 percent with just a 10 microgram increase per cubic meter.
The EU limit for PM2.5 in outdoor air is 25 micrograms per cubic meter, while the WHO recommends a more stringent limit of only 10 micrograms per cubic meter.
ShareSource
39.7 %Small consumers/households
38.2 %Industry and machinery
7.5 %Agriculture
5.2 %Diesel passenger cars
5.1 %Trucks and buses
4.3 %Heating and power plants
Table (not infographic): Percentage share of different sources contributing to overall fine dust pollution (PM10). Source: ÖAMTC (Data: 2010)
This table clearly shows a discrepancy between the common public perception of causes and actual data. Households and industry together are responsible for three quarters of fine dust pollution. Traffic, while important at nearly 20%, ranks well behind these sources.
Fireplaces, Candles, Cigarettes: The Hidden Sources
While industry has steadily improved its fine dust emissions and the automotive sector has optimized diesel engines in this regard, household efforts remain minimal. This is reflected in the table. Within private households, major contributors include candles, incense sticks, cigarettes, and fireplaces, creating serious and hazardous fine dust pollution.
Fine Dust Source #1: Cigarette Smoke
Cigarette smoke indoors raises PM10 levels permanently by 20 – 50 µg/m3 of air, exceeding the EU limit by 40% to 100%. This increase is regularly measured in smoker households. Peak concentrations in these homes can reach up to 1,000 µg/m3, which is twenty times the limit. While industry strives to stay under 50 µg/m3, smokers accept exposures from 100 up to 1,000 µg/m3 without question. This clearly shows the urgent need for greater awareness.
Fine Dust from Candles
The pollution caused by incense sticks and candles is no less dangerous. Although they typically produce concentrations in the range of a few hundred µg/m3 (still multiple times the EU limit of 50 µg/m3), these sources pose risks for chronic and acute respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular problems, and cancer. It is precisely during the cozy moments of the cold season, with candle scents and aromas of musk and sandalwood in the air, that we harm our own health.
Particularly harmful: When incense sticks burn down, they release carcinogens like benzene and formaldehyde. Their ingredients — such as sawdust, resin, and aromatic substances — are responsible. Burning candles emit especially high amounts of fine dust particles, releasing 10 to 20 times more than other sources. A frustrating fact is that the fine dust from candles remains airborne for hours, thus continuously inhaled.
Four Measures to Reduce Fine Dust Indoors
Finally, here are four simple measures to reduce fine dust levels indoors (applicable for apartments, shared spaces at workplaces, and offices).
- Avoid burning incense sticks in small rooms like bathrooms. Fine dust concentrations tend to be very high in small spaces. Smoke cannot disperse properly due to poor air circulation and lingers much longer. The result is a particularly high fine dust concentration and frequent inhalation of harmful particles.
- Check quality and brand of incense sticks. For office celebrations, avoid cheap incense sticks from India, which often contain synthetic base materials like musk ambrette. Experiments on rats showed nervous system damage, leading to bans of this substance in cosmetic production. Export-driven manufacturers in India often lack health awareness. More expensive Japanese incense sticks use higher-quality fragrances and woods, resulting in lower emissions. Your colleagues deserve that.
- Burn candles only once or twice a week and ventilate thoroughly. During the pre-Christmas season, ensure that advent wreaths and candles are not lit daily. Once or twice a week is sufficient, followed by strong ventilation of social and workspaces. This keeps candle-related fine dust at manageable levels.
- Have wood stoves, fireplaces, and tiled stoves inspected regularly. If these heating systems are used at work (e.g., in restaurants), regular checks must confirm that exhaust lines are airtight. Leaking combustion gases with their fine dust particles contain high concentrations of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, posing serious health hazards. Small particle size enables deep lung penetration, putting children at extreme risk.
Source: industry-press.com
J
Juliette W2 Jul 2015 10:03Furthermore, most tealight candles are made from palm oil that is usually not sourced sustainably, which has a disastrous impact on the environment in the producing countries (local communities, orangutans, etc.).
And candles also contribute to the fogging effect.
And candles also contribute to the fogging effect.
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