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.

India's Tamil Nadu Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 82.3 million across 32 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 22.5µg/m³. That's 4.5 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 373 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 Tamil Nadu met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.72 years longer.

That's 141.6M years of life stolen from 82.3 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

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

1.Thiruvallur
2.3 years lost
2.Chennai
2.2 years lost
3.Kancheepuram
2.2 years lost
4.Namakkal
2 years lost
5.Tiruvannamalai
1.9 years lost
6.Salem
1.9 years lost
7.Erode
1.9 years lost
8.Vellore
1.9 years lost
9.Viluppuram
1.8 years lost
10.Madurai
1.7 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

828K

15-25 µg/m³

79.2%

65.2M

25-35 µg/m³

19.8%

16.3M

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 32 Districts in Tamil Nadu

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Chennai	6.1M	27.7	2.2 years
Vellore	4.4M	24.0	1.9 years
Thiruvallur	4.2M	28.2	2.3 years
Viluppuram	4.2M	23.4	1.8 years
Salem	4.1M	24.7	1.9 years
Kancheepuram	3.8M	27.3	2.2 years
Coimbatore	3.5M	20.3	1.5 years
Madurai	3.5M	22.4	1.7 years
Tirunelveli	3.4M	19.3	1.4 years
Tiruppur	3.2M	22.2	1.7 years
Tiruchirappalli	3.1M	22.3	1.7 years
Cuddalore	3.0M	21.4	1.6 years
Tiruvannamalai	2.8M	24.7	1.9 years
Thanjavur	2.7M	20.4	1.5 years
Dindigul	2.4M	19.8	1.4 years
Erode	2.4M	24.3	1.9 years
Namakkal	2.2M	25.2	2.0 years
Virudhunagar	2.2M	22.1	1.7 years
Krishnagiri	2.1M	20.9	1.6 years
Kanniyakumari	2.1M	16.3	1.1 years
Thoothukudi	2.1M	20.0	1.5 years
Pudukkottai	1.9M	18.2	1.3 years
Nagappattinam	1.7M	19.1	1.4 years
Dharmapuri	1.7M	22.2	1.7 years
Ramanathapuram	1.6M	19.1	1.4 years
Thiruvarur	1.5M	19.6	1.4 years
Sivaganga	1.5M	18.1	1.3 years
Theni	1.4M	18.3	1.3 years
Karur	1.2M	20.9	1.6 years
Ariyalur	858K	19.9	1.5 years
The Nilgiris	828K	10.1	0.5 years
Perambalur	609K	22.4	1.7 years

Showing 32 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Tamil Nadu is Injurious to Health.