New BIS norms for incense sticks ban alethrin, permethrin, fipronil and more chemicals

New Delhi: Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi, on National Consumer Day 202,5 released a new Indian Standard for incense sticks, aimed at improving quality, safety and sustainability in the agarbatti sector.

The standard, issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), is titled IS 19412:2025 – Incense Sticks (Agarbatti) — Specification. It was released at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

BIS said the move comes amid rising domestic and global demand for incense products, driven by growing interest in yoga, meditation, aromatherapy and wellness. At the same time, international studies and regulatory developments, especially in Europe, have raised concerns about certain synthetic chemicals used in fragranced products, including incense sticks.

The standard lays down a list of substances prohibited for use in agarbattis. These include insecticidal chemicals such as alethrin, permethrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin and fipronil, and synthetic fragrance intermediates such as benzyl cyanide, ethyl acrylate and diphenylamine.

IS 19412:2025 also classifies agarbatti into machine-made, hand-made and traditional masala agarbattis. It prescribes requirements for raw materials, burning quality, fragrance performance and chemical parameters, with the objective of ensuring safer products and more consistent quality.

BIS said the standard was developed by its Fragrance and Flavour Sectional Committee (PCD 18) through stakeholder consultations. It cited inputs from scientific institutions and industry bodies, including CSIR–Central Institute of Medical and Aromatic Plants, CSIR–Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, CSIR–Central Food Technological Research Institute, the Fragrance and Flavour Development Centre, Kannauj, and the All India Agarbatti Manufacturers Association.

India is the world’s largest producer and exporter of agarbatti, the release said. The industry is estimated at around Rs 8,000 crore annually, with exports of roughly Rs 1,200 crore a year to over 150 countries, including major markets such as the US, Malaysia, Nigeria, Brazil and Mexico.

BIS said the standard is expected to boost consumer confidence, encourage ethical and sustainable manufacturing, support artisans and MSMEs, and improve access to global markets. Products meeting the requirements can also carry the BIS Standard Mark, it added.