National Dengue Day | 85% mosquito repellent agarbattis unregulated, poses serious health concerns

Untested, and illegal ‘mosquito repellent’ agarbattis are a bigger health concern than the mosquito-borne viruses causing dengue and malaria, a survey released ahead of National Dengue Day, marked on May 16, states.

The mosquito repellent agarbatti market in India is valued at approximately ₹2,000 crore, with up to 85 per cent dominated by illegal or unregulated players, the study, commissioned by the Home Insect Control Association (HICA) and conducted by market research firm Kantar, revealed. They surveyed 1,264 households and 405 doctors across 12 Indian cities. 

Doctors warn that while mosquito repellent is vital to safeguard infections like dengue fever, one must be careful to avoid constant exposure to smoke emanating from these products, including mosquito agarbattis. 

The problem arises because some of the mosquito repellents sold in the market do not meet the required standard since some products can contain toxic substances like pyrethroids, organophosphates, heavy metals, and other compounds that can irritate the respiratory tract. Respiratory problems and allergies caused by these illegal mosquito agarbattis are becoming more common among those who use them continuously at home.

The report notes that these unregulated companies sell products that carry no government approval, no mandatory Central Insecticides Registration (CIR) label, and no clear ingredient disclosure. These products are commonly sold under names such as Comfort, Sleepwell, Relax, Sun-Relax, Subhanithra, Hunting Tiger, High Voltage, Happy Night, Dengue Killer and Hi-Power, often without regulatory approvals or clear ingredient disclosures. 

Regardless, 59 per cent of people surveyed agreed to using such products, with half using them daily for more than three years. Although, around 95 per cent of households did not report any mosquito-borne diseases. The fumes inhaled may lead to a major respiratory hazard in the future.