Remembering departed loved ones does not mean forgetting yourself and risking your health.

As Filipinos spend the All Saints' and All Souls' Days, or Undas, holidays praying for the souls of their loved ones who passed away, environment watchdog EcoWaste Coalition reminded everyone to shun the use of imported candles with lead-cored wicks, whether in the cemetery, in a columbarium, or at home.

“While locally made candles have braided cotton as wicks, some imported candles, especially those sold at specialty stores selling Chinese prayer articles, may still have lead-cored wicks despite a public health advisory issued by the government,” said EcoWaste National Coordinator Aileen Lucero.

“To avoid lead poisoning risk, please steer clear of candles with metal wire in the wick unless certified non-toxic and safe," she added.

Echoing health authorities' warning, the group noted that lighting candles with lead-cored wicks will emit lead into the air during burning, causing the vaporized lead to be inhaled or get deposited onto the surfaces and posing “imminent hazard to the public health", especially to babies in the womb and young children.

EcoWaste started to campaign for a ban on candles with lead-cored wicks in 2012 after detecting lead ranging from 34,800 to 62,900 parts per million (ppm) in seven imported candles that it bought from retailers in Binondo, Manila. A combined laboratory analysis in 2014 of lead-cored wicks submitted by the group to a private testing company found 207,350 ppm lead in the analyzed wicks.

In 2016, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Advisory No. 2016-146 telling the public not to purchase and use candles with lead-containing wicks, candles in lead-containing metal containers, as well as lead-containing wicks for candle-making.

“Lead emissions from any source pose health risk and can result in increased blood lead levels in unborn babies, babies and young children,” the FDA warned.

“Other toxic effects include neurological damage, delayed mental and physical development, and attention and learning deficiencies," it continued.

With this, the EcoWaste Coalition reminded the public anew to consider picking candles with cotton or non-metal wicks, and shun those with lead-cored wicks; carefully read and follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions; trim wicks to ¼ inch before lighting a candle; put the candle holder on a heat resistant, stable and uncluttered surface; burn candles in a well-ventilated space, but keep them away from air currents to avoid fast burning and flare-ups; and keep burning candles out of children's reach and safe from pets, among others.

"Let's aim for a zero waste and toxics-free commemoration of Undas 2022," it stressed.