PM2.5 stands for particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller. These particles are 30 times thinner than a human hair and come from car exhaust, power plants, wildfires, and burning fuel. They are small enough to bypass your body's natural defenses and enter your bloodstream.

How does air pollution affect the body?

Air pollution affects virtually every organ in the body. PM2.5 particles enter your lungs, pass into your bloodstream, and travel to your heart, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. This causes chronic inflammation, increasing risks of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, dementia, and many other conditions.

How many people are affected by air pollution?

99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds WHO safety guidelines. Air pollution kills approximately 8 million people every year—more than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

Malawi's Nsanje Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Nsanje

Nsanje faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 367 thousand across 11 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 21.7µg/m³. That's 4.3 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 360 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If Nsanje met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.63 years longer.

That's 598K years of life stolen from 367 thousand people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in Nsanje. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.TA Mlolo
1.9 years lost
2.SC Mbenje
1.7 years lost
3.TA Nyachikadza
1.6 years lost
4.Nsanje Boma
1.6 years lost
5.TA Tengani
1.5 years lost
6.TA Chimombo
1.5 years lost
7.TA Ngabu
1.5 years lost
8.TA Malemia
1.5 years lost
9.TA Ndamera
1.4 years lost
10.Mwabvi Game Reserve
1.4 years lost

Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³—only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 µg/m³

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

100%

367K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 11 Districts in Nsanje

Complete air quality data for every district in Nsanje, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
TA Mlolo	94K	24.1	1.9 years
SC Mbenje	69K	22.8	1.7 years
TA Tengani	54K	20.7	1.5 years
TA Ndamera	36K	19.4	1.4 years
Nsanje Boma	32K	21.0	1.6 years
TA Malemia	25K	20.1	1.5 years
TA Ngabu	21K	20.4	1.5 years
TA Chimombo	13K	20.6	1.5 years
SC Makoka	9K	17.6	1.2 years
Mwabvi Game Reserve	8K	19.3	1.4 years
TA Nyachikadza	5K	21.6	1.6 years

Showing 11 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Nsanje is Injurious to Health.