Breathing in Thyolo is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 886 thousand people across 13 districts in Thyolo. The average PM2.5 level is 19.9 µg/m³—4.0Ɨ higher than the WHO guideline.

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Air Pollution in Thyolo

Thyolo faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 886 thousand across 13 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 19.9µg/m³. That's 4.0 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 330 cigarettes in a year.

Air Quality Trend

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

Life Expectancy Impact

If Thyolo met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.47 years longer.

That's 1.3M years of life stolen from 886 thousand people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Districts with Highest Pollution

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

  • 1.SC Mphuka
    1.7 years lost
  • 2.TA Thomas
    1.7 years lost
  • 3.SC Kwethemule
    1.6 years lost
  • 4.SC Thukuta
    1.5 years lost
  • 5.TA Changata
    1.5 years lost
  • 6.TA Nsabwe
    1.5 years lost
  • 7.TA Bvumbwe
    1.4 years lost
  • 8.Thyolo Boma
    1.4 years lost
  • 9.TA Nchilamwela
    1.4 years lost
  • 10.SC Mbawela
    1.4 years lost

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
0%
0
5-10 µg/m³
0%
0
10-15 µg/m³
0%
0
15-25 µg/m³
100%
886K
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0

All 13 Districts in Thyolo

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
TA Chimaliro168K
19.0
1.4 years
TA Bvumbwe138K
19.7
1.4 years
TA Nchilamwela81K
19.5
1.4 years
TA Kapichi76K
19.3
1.4 years
SC Mphuka74K
22.2
1.7 years
SC Kwethemule72K
21.0
1.6 years
SC Mbawela61K
19.4
1.4 years
TA Nsabwe60K
19.9
1.5 years
TA Changata53K
20.1
1.5 years
TA Thomas47K
21.9
1.7 years
SC Thukuta27K
20.2
1.5 years
Luchenza Town16K
19.1
1.4 years
Thyolo Boma13K
19.6
1.4 years

Showing 13 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.