Health risks of agarbatti (incense sticks)

When agarbatti or incense sticks are burnt, it releases the same kinds of pollutants, including carbon monoxide, as is released from the stoves and hearths.

The study was carried out in the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the U.S.

The World Health Organization estimates that more than a million people die from COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), primarily as a result of exposure to pollutants from stoves and open hearths.

In India, agarbatti is burnt mainly for religious purposes rather than its scent.

Next time you burn agarbatti (incense sticks), make sure you burn them for no more than 5 minutes while keeping all doors and windows open to minimize exposure.

Written by: Dr. Ajay Sati.