Popular holiday-scented candles might smell great, but a new U.K. study found they’re not great for the lungs. The study researched the impact scented candles and incense can have on indoor air quality, finding they could be worse for people than just inhaling smoke.
When scented candles and incense burn, they release chemicals and particles into the air, including toxic gases like carbon monoxide.
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They can also produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemicals that easily evaporate into the home’s air supply. VOCs can also lead to several short-term health effects, including coughing, sneezing and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.
Breathing in these chemicals also increases the risk of heart disease and lung cancer.
A similar study burned equal amounts of cigarettes and incense sticks, finding incense created four times as much particulate matter as cigarettes. Additional studies have found candles and incense can be major sources of particulate matter pollution in non-smoker homes.
