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Consumer Product Safety Commission To Continue Investigation Of Candles With Lead Core Wicks, Will Not Immediately Ban

Release Date: October 06, 2011

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Friday said it will not immediately ban candles with lead core wicks, as requested by the Health Research Group.

But the Commission said it is continuing its investigation and would base any action on the results of those studies. "Our initial research reveals that there is some lead given off by burning these candles," the Commission said. "However, the amount of lead given off does not constitute an 'imminent hazard', and the Commission will not immediately ban the candles." 



"We do not consider limited use of candles with lead core wicks during the holiday season to present an unreasonable health hazard. However, consumers should recognize that they may be subjecting themselves needlessly to increased lead concentrations through use of the candles," the Commission said.

Release Number
73-052

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. Since the CPSC was established more than 50 years ago, it has worked to ensure the safety of consumer products, which has contributed to a decline in injuries associated with these products. 

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