The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has released an Indian Standard for incense sticks (agarbattis), laying down quality norms and specifying a list of chemicals prohibited for use in their manufacture. The newly notified standard prohibits the use of certain insecticide chemicals and synthetic fragrance substances, which may pose risks to human health, indoor air quality, and the environment.
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi, made this announcement on the occasion of National Consumer Day 2025 on December 24.
“The prohibited items include certain insecticidal chemicals such as allethrin, permethrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, and fipronil, as well as synthetic fragrance intermediates like benzyl cyanide, ethyl acrylate, and diphenylamine. Many of these substances are restricted or banned internationally due to their potential impact on human health, indoor air quality, and ecological safety,” a statement from the Ministry said. Some of these substances have been linked to respiratory irritation, allergic reactions, neurological effects and environmental harm when used repeatedly in indoor environments, it added.
According to the notification, the standard classifies agarbattis into machine-made, hand-made, and traditional masala agarbattis, and prescribes norms for raw materials, burning quality, fragrance performance and chemical parameters. This, the minister said, will ensure safer products and consistent quality for consumers.
India is the world’s largest producer and exporter of agarbattis, with the industry estimated at around Rs. 8,000-crore annually and exports of about Rs. 1,200-crore to more than 150 countries.
“Products conforming to this standard will be eligible to carry the BIS Standard Mark, enabling consumers to make informed choices with confidence. The notification of IS 19412:2025 is expected to boost consumer confidence, promote ethical and sustainable manufacturing practices, protect traditional livelihoods and enhance global market access for Indian agarbattis,” the statement added.
The standard has been developed by the Fragrance and Flavour Sectional Committee (PCD 18) of BIS through extensive stakeholder consultations. Experts from institutions such as CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR), CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), the Fragrance and Flavour Development Centre (FFDC), Kannauj, and the All India Agarbatti Manufacturers Association contributed to its formulation, it added.