Inside the Beltway

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By Jennifer Harper INSIDE THE BELTWAY

SICK WICK

Holy smokes. That clandestine tryst between politico and paramour may never be the same again. Candlelight dinners - the flickering flame, that delicate glow - are an unrecognized source of indoor air pollution. Really. The American Chemical Society announced Wednesday that "emission products of petroleum-based candles in nonventilated enclosed areas" produce evocative ambience - and known human carcinogens.

Somebody notify Al Gore, and maybe Ralph Nader.

"Lighting many paraffin candles every day for years or lighting them frequently in an un-ventilated bathroom around a tub, for example, may cause problems," says Ruhullah Massoudi, a chemistry professor at South Carolina State University who analyzed all those nasty airborne things and suggests chichi beeswax or soy candles as a healthier alternative.

Oh joy. The eco-minded now have a new source of guilt. The green police have a new target. And now that candles are officially scary, surely those romantic suppers - or the journalist intent on wooing a source at some dim table - have been compromised.

Or not.

"I counter that science with more science. Candles also produce negative ions, and negative ions are associated with a sense of well-being and happiness. Negative ions, positive vibes - what's not to like?" asks Philip Gates, general manager of Charlie Palmer Steak, a handsome eatery within a block of the U.S. Capitol.

The candles at Charlie Palmer lie low on the table, snug in their spring-loaded stainless steel holders with steel mesh tops. And the candles are staying.

"They're not going anywhere. And you can't really see the actual candles anyway," Mr. Gates says.

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