كل عود بخور صناعي يعادل 4 سجائر في التلوث

The demands for reviewing the regulations on importing chemically manufactured incense into the Saudi markets have escalated, after recent research demonstrated a link between its synthetic components and harmful emissions that affect respiratory health and indoor air quality. Specialists have called for the General Authority for Food and Drug Administration to intervene with decisive measures, including temporarily halting imports and requiring suppliers to provide a manufacturing label that clarifies the types of materials used in each incense stick and the approved chemical safety levels.
This movement follows the publication of an international study in the Journal of Inflammation Research, which involved researchers from King Khalid University in collaboration with universities in India and South Korea. The study warned that burning synthetic incense releases fine particles that exceed those produced by cigarettes by four times. It revealed that synthetic incense consists of a plant mixture combined with chemical fragrances and synthetic glue, which, when burned, produces polluting gases such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and volatile organic compounds.
Researchers confirmed that the ultrafine particles resulting from burning synthetic incense penetrate lung tissues, causing chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and heart function disorders. Potential effects on fertility and the nervous system have also been observed with continuous exposure indoors and in enclosed spaces. The study showed that the ash from synthetic incense contains heavy metals that pollute soil and water when disposed of improperly, making it a continuous source of environmental degradation within cities.
Experts believe that consumer protection begins with tracking the components of incense on the manufacturing label and requiring full disclosure of the proportions of materials used in the manufacturing process and the producing entity. They also emphasized the necessity of developing laboratories to test the quality of incense and home fragrances to measure fine emission levels and assess their compliance with health and environmental standards.
Monitoring synthetic incense has become a national responsibility linked to air quality and human health, and reviewing its import policies is a necessary step to protect society from silent pollution that seeps through pleasant aromas.