Air pollution threatens the health of 2.3 million people across 6 districts in Mbeya. The average PM2.5 level is 21.7 µg/m³—4.3× higher than the WHO guideline.
Brought to you by Amrit Sharma
Mbeya faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 2.3 million across 6 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.
If Mbeya met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.63 years longer.
That's 3.8M years of life stolen from 2.3 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.
Lives cut short. Breathing kills.
The top 6 most polluted districts in Mbeya. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.
Complete air quality data for every district in Mbeya, sorted by population.
| District | Population | PM2.5 µg/m³ | Years Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mbeya Urban | 522K | 22.5 | 1.7 years |
| Rungwe | 460K | 23.4 | 1.8 years |
| Mbeya Rural | 414K | 20.6 | 1.5 years |
| Mbarali | 407K | 20.0 | 1.5 years |
| Kyela | 297K | 24.4 | 1.9 years |
| Chunya | 212K | 17.5 | 1.2 years |
Showing 6 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.