At candles. Thinking about tea candles specifically.
Advisory
2001-02
January 8, 2001
Health Canada advises Canadians about potential lead exposure from inexpensive jewellery and candles with lead core wicks
OTTAWA - Health Canada is advising Canadians about a potential danger of exposure to lead that may be in inexpensive jewellery typically purchased for children, and candles that have lead core wicks.
Lead is hazardous to human health. Even small amounts of absorbed lead can be harmful, especially to young children, infants and unborn babies. Children can absorb lead by sucking or chewing on inexpensive jewellery containing lead. Lead can be absorbed by inhalation during the burning of candles with lead core wicks. Consequently, Health Canada is advising Canadians to remove inexpensive jewellery containing lead from children who are likely to suck or chew on them, and to stop using candles that have lead core wicks. The Department is also urging the Canadian candle industry to stop manufacturing and importing candles with lead core wicks as safer alternatives such as zinc and tin cores and plain cotton wicks without metallic cores do exist.
Before buying candles and to allow you to make an informed purchasing decision, you should ask the retailer if they contain a lead core wick. For candles already in your possession, you can tell if they have a lead core wick by following three easy steps:
Remove any wax from the tip of the wick.
Separate the fibre strands from the wick to see if the candle has a metallic core.
If the candle has a metallic core, rub the core on a piece of white paper. If the mark left on the white paper is grey in colour, then the metallic core is probably lead.
If you discover that your candle has a lead core wick, you should discard the candle using normal household garbage disposal procedures.
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/2001/2001_02_e.htmlThe caution is six years old, but there doesn't seem to be much investigative effort on checking for compliance.