Are candle wicks made of lead?Updated 7 months ago

The majority of wicks manufactured today in the U.S. are made of 100 percent cotton – with no metal core. Those few wicks with metal are typically zinc-core wicks. All of these wicks are safe.

Even though the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) determined in 1974 that lead core wicks do not present a health hazard, the National Candle Association’s members voluntarily agreed to stop using lead wicks. Companies belonging to the National Candle Association make about 95 percent of the candles manufactured in the United States today.

It is possible that a small percentage of imported candles on the market today contain lead-core wicks. However, the National Candle Association and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have taken strong action to remove candles with lead-core wicks from store shelves. This will help ensure that all candles on the market today use safe wicks.