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 Salima Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Salima

Salima faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 519 thousand across 10 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 18µg/m³. That's 3.6 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 299 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 Salima met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.29 years longer.

That's 670K years of life stolen from 519 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 Salima. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.TA Kuluunda
1.5 years lost
2.TA Maganga
1.5 years lost
3.SC Kambalame
1.4 years lost
4.TA Pemba
1.3 years lost
5.Salima Town
1.3 years lost
6.TA Karonga
1.3 years lost
7.TA Ndindi
1.2 years lost
8.SC Kambwiri
1.2 years lost
9.TA Khombedza
1.2 years lost
10.SC Mwanza
1 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%

519K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 10 Districts in Salima

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
TA Karonga	97K	17.8	1.3 years
TA Khombedza	95K	17.3	1.2 years
TA Maganga	71K	19.9	1.5 years
TA Ndindi	56K	17.6	1.2 years
Salima Town	50K	18.4	1.3 years
SC Kambwiri	44K	17.4	1.2 years
TA Pemba	36K	18.4	1.3 years
SC Kambalame	27K	19.0	1.4 years
SC Mwanza	25K	15.4	1.0 years
TA Kuluunda	16K	20.1	1.5 years

Showing 10 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Salima is Injurious to Health.