Reuters
AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND, November 22, 2004: Research conducted by scientists from Maastricht University and published recently in the European Respiratory Journal indicates that burning candles and incense in churches can release dangerous levels of potentially carcinogenic particles. Theo de Kok, author of the study, explains, “After a day of candle burning we found about 20 times as much as by a busy road. These levels were so unbelievably high we thought we should report it to the public. The air at a Maastricht basilica contained 20 times the European Union limit of PM10 particles after a simulated mass ceremony. The exposures are worrisome, not so much for the occasional churchgoer, but priests, choirs and other people working in churches may have significant exposure.” After the results of the study were published, priests have tried to improve ventilation and some churches have stopped using real candles. De Kok would like to continue the research on priests and monks to see if they are more prone to lung disease. Richard Russell of the British Thoracic Society concludes, “Particle pollution, whether it be in an outdoor or indoor environment, can be a danger to lung health and cause respiratory diseases such as emphysema and bronchitis.”