FESTIVE scented candles could be worse for your health than cigarettes, researchers have warned.
Filling your home with smells of gingerbread, cinnamon and pine could increase your risk of heart disease and lung cancer.
Burning scented candles produces toxic gases like carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
The researchers said peak particle concentrations could increase to 15 times over the limits prescribed by the World Health Organisation.
They also suggested it would take time for a room to return to normal levels.
The study found the air quailty in small and underventilated rooms was impacted the most by burning scented candles.
Asit Kumar Mishra, a research fellow at University College Cork, and Dr Marie Coggins, senior lecturer at the University of Galway, published the warning in The Conversation.
“Use of scented candles or smoking, when combined with blocked wall vents and closed windows, worsens exposure to indoor air pollutants for householders,” they wrote.
“While using scented candles, for example, peak fine particle concentrations could increase to 15 times the limits prescribed by the World Health Organization.
“These levels took a while to return to normal levels in underventilated rooms.
“Burning candles or incense sticks produces a complex mix of chemicals and particulate matter, including toxic gases like carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen.
“Home fragrance products can also produce several volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can be harmful to health.
“Particulate matter can cause short-term health effects like coughing and sneezing, and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.
“Long-term exposure can increase the risk of heart disease, lung cancer and chronic bronchitis.
“Particulate matter can also worsen some existing conditions, such as asthma.”
The authors noted that “natural” home fragrances can also emit harmful levels of pollution and toxic chemicals.
The researchers suggested burning candles in larger spaces with open windows.
They also advised extinguishing flames outside to reduce the fumes inside.
The study, published in the journal Indoor Environments, measured the air quality of 14 homes in Galway in Ireland.
Most nonsmokers have no early signs of lung cancer, which means they’re often not diagnosed until it has spread.
But some people do notice symptoms in the cancer’s early stages, Yale oncologists said.
These are similar to the symptoms in smokers and may include the following:
