Metal Wicks continued...

"Besides breathing lead fumes, children can be exposed to even more lead that is deposited on the floor, furniture, and walls because they often put their hands in their mouths," says Nriagu. After similar research in Australia, lead wicks in candles were banned there in September 1999. On Feb. 14, 2001, the Consumer Product Safety Commission voted to ban all candle wicks containing lead.

Not all candles -- or even all scented candles -- cause hazardous pollution. But since labels won't tell which ones are safe, Astry and other candle experts offer this advice:

• Watch out for shiny metal wire inside the wicks of candles. Opt for pure paper or cotton instead.
• Keep wicks trimmed to one-quarter inch for more complete combustion, and keep candles out of drafts. Windiness blows more toxins into the air and causes inefficient burning.
• Watch out for slow-burning candles with additives. (These candles often feel greasy to the touch.) Instead, look for pure beeswax candles, which emit less pollution.
• For aromatherapy, put a few drops of scented oil in a defuser -- a tray made to fit on a light bulb. Or you can put the drops into some boiling water.
• Don't use candles in jars when the candle leaves a soot ring on the jar's lip. The soot may be an indication of lead dust.

Andrew Flanders eventually moved back home. His mother Cathy only wishes she'd had some whiff of the danger when she first spotted those innocent-looking candles among the racks of shirts and pants.