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.

Indonesia's Kalimantan Tengah Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Kalimantan Tengah

Kalimantan Tengah faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 2.8 million across 14 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 19.1µg/m³. That's 3.8 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 317 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 Kalimantan Tengah met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.4 years longer.

That's 3.9M years of life stolen from 2.8 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 Kalimantan Tengah. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Barito Selatan
1.9 years lost
2.Barito Timur
1.8 years lost
3.Palangka Raya
1.7 years lost
4.Kapuas
1.5 years lost
5.Murung Raya
1.5 years lost
6.Gunung Mas
1.4 years lost
7.Pulang Pisau
1.4 years lost
8.Barito Utara
1.4 years lost
9.Katingan
1.3 years lost
10.Lamandau
1.2 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%

2.8M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 14 Districts in Kalimantan Tengah

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Kotawaringin Timur	443K	16.9	1.2 years
Kapuas	428K	20.6	1.5 years
Palangka Raya	304K	21.8	1.7 years
Kotawaringin Barat	280K	16.1	1.1 years
Katingan	164K	18.6	1.3 years
Seruyan	162K	16.8	1.2 years
Barito Utara	160K	18.8	1.4 years
Gunung Mas	140K	19.4	1.4 years
Pulang Pisau	139K	19.1	1.4 years
Barito Selatan	128K	24.0	1.9 years
Barito Timur	121K	23.4	1.8 years
Murung Raya	115K	19.8	1.5 years
Lamandau	103K	17.0	1.2 years
Sukamara	65K	15.5	1.0 years

Showing 14 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Kalimantan Tengah is Injurious to Health.