Industry Standards for Candle Making in the US-Following ASTM
Posted by Lyschel Bersch on
At this time candle making is not regulated by law. However, the National Candle Association members are working with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) to establish and implement voluntary standards for US made candles.
"Industry standards are a set of criteria within an industry relating to the standard functioning and carrying out of operations in their respective fields of production. In other words it is the generally accepted requirements followed by the members of an industry. It provides an orderly and systematic formulation, adoption, or application of standards used in a particular industry or sector of the economy. Industry standards vary from one industry to another." (US Legal)
Candle making standards are in place to decrease the number of fires caused by candles. So, while candle making standards may not be "law" they are definitely something to pay attention to as a way to lessen disastrous effects. According to a lawyer that I have talked to one of the best ways to not get sued (or to win) is to document everything that you do. Know how your candles burn. Take great notes. And if you are following the standards of the candle making industry it is a huge plus. I am not giving legal advice here but if a candle causes a problem the seller must prove that their candle was considered safe. If you show your testing of the candle and the customer shows their testing of the candle who is going to have more valuable information?
Unfortunately standards cost money. I will never understand this. I would hope that something that is supposed to be for the greater good would be given to all. Anyway, since they are not laws there is a cost. The good thing is that many people within the candle making industry know these standards and adhere to them. Candle making glass is one such industry. They adhere to standard F 2179 "Standard Specification for Annealed Soda-Lime-Silicate Glass Containers That are Produced for Use as Candle Containers". This standard has a requirement that these types of containers have a real temper number no greater than 4 (ASTM C 148) and pass the thermal shock test (ASTM C 149) with no failures at a temperature
differential of 90 degrees (Jim Becker, chairman of ASTM F 15.45 Candle
Products Subcommittee)