All items · Homeware & household
Used, homemade or unlabelled candles
Also covers: candle, part-burned candle, unboxed candle, wax candle
They say no
Refused by all 13 charities that directly name or broadly cover it (13 direct).
Why shops refuse it
Shops may be unable to assess candles that are partly used, homemade or missing their safety and burning instructions.
What to do instead
Local candle makers may reuse clean leftover wax; otherwise separate reusable containers and follow your council's waste guidance.
Charity by charity
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Can't accept
British Heart Foundation
Their wording
“Candles without instructions — Candles without instructions”
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Can't accept
Cancer Research UK
Their wording
“Unboxed, unsealed or partially burned candles — Unboxed/unsealed or partially burned candles”
-
Can't accept
Claire House Children's Hospice
Their wording
“Candles”
-
Can't accept
Cornwall Hospice Care
Their wording
“Candles without fire warning instructions”
-
Can't accept
DEBRA
Their wording
“Candles without warning labels”
-
Can't accept
Dorothy House
Their wording
“Candles without warning labels”
-
Can't accept
Shaw Trust
Their wording
“Unbranded candles”
-
Can't accept
St Barnabas Hospice (Lincolnshire)
Their wording
“Candles without instructions”
-
Can't accept
St Giles Hospice
Their wording
“Candles without instructions”
-
Can't accept
St Peter's Hospice
Their wording
“Candles without instructions”
-
Can't accept
Sue Ryder
Their wording
“Homemade candles / candles without safety notice”
-
Can't accept
The Children's Trust
Their wording
“Candles without instructions”
-
Can't accept
Wales Air Ambulance
Their wording
“Candles without instructions and safety notice”
Not mentioned in 31 charities' guidance
Absence from a charity's list doesn't mean they accept it — it just isn't singled out. Ask your local shop.
- Not mentioned Acorns Children's Hospice
- Not mentioned Age UK
- Not mentioned Barnardo's
- Not mentioned British Red Cross
- Not mentioned Crisis
- Not mentioned Dogs Trust
- Not mentioned Emmaus
- Not mentioned FARA Charity Shops
- Not mentioned Great Western Air Ambulance Charity
- Not mentioned Keech Hospice Care
- Not mentioned LOROS Hospice
- Not mentioned Marie Curie
- Not mentioned Octavia Foundation
- Not mentioned Overgate Hospice
- Not mentioned Oxfam
- Not mentioned PDSA
- Not mentioned Phyllis Tuckwell
- Not mentioned Princess Alice Hospice
- Not mentioned Salvation Army (SATCoL)
- Not mentioned Samaritans
- Not mentioned Save the Children
- Not mentioned Scope
- Not mentioned Sense Scotland
- Not mentioned Shelter
- Not mentioned St Christopher's Hospice
- Not mentioned St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP)
- Not mentioned Traid
- Not mentioned Trinity Hospice (Blackpool)
- Not mentioned Willen Hospice
- Not mentioned Woodgreen Pets Charity
- Not mentioned YMCA (England & Wales)