Cosy Home Warning As Scented Wax Melts Create Toxic Particles [Video]

Scented wax melts, often marketed as safer alternatives to candles due to being flame and smoke-free, are not as safe for the indoor environment as initially believed, new research has shown.

Aroma compounds released from scented wax melts—cubes of wax that release a fragrance when melted in an electric wax warmer—can react with other compounds in the air indoors to form potentially toxic particles, according to a study in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters.

The study found that “despite being flame-free and smoke-free, scented wax melts can emit quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are larger than those of traditional scented candles due to their higher fragrance concentration and the direct heating of wax, maximizing the melted wax surface area.”

In their study, the researchers observed 15 commercially available wax melts, both unscented and scented, in a …