Soy vs. Paraffin part 2 – What is really better for the environment Soy or Paraffin?

The answer should be easy, right? Soy comes from the ground so it seems to be the obvious answer. Let’s analyze this.

Soybeans go through a chemical process to change into a waxy substance that can be used for candle making. One could argue that they are therefore using soybeans that could otherwise serve as food or energy, for the purpose of making candles, a non-essential item.

The situation is similar for Palm wax. Healthy trees are being knocked down to produce this wax. But where does paraffin come from?

Well there is no paraffin tree, but it does come from nature. Paraffin is produced from crude oil. After crude oil is refined to make whatever fuel they are going to make from it, a waste product is left over that’s no good for fuel or oil. Companies like IGI and Astorlite purchase this waste product and paraffin wax is made. And though it doesn’t grow in beautiful green fields or tropical warm climates, paraffin does come from the ground and is 100% biodegradable.

So the answer to our question, what is really better for the environment Soy or Paraffin, the answer is….no one wax is better than another, it’s all purely opinion. Soy Paraffin and Palm all occur in nature and everyone has their opinion, but you as a consumer and an individual have to decide which you prefer. None of them are harmful to the environment, or you (as long as they are well made and you burn them properly).