Breathing in Sulawesi Tengah is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 2.9 million people across 11 districts in Sulawesi Tengah. The average PM2.5 level is 15.2 µg/m³—3.0Ɨ higher than the WHO guideline.

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Air Pollution in Sulawesi Tengah

Sulawesi Tengah faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 2.9 million across 11 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 15.2µg/m³. That's 3.0 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 252 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 Sulawesi Tengah met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.01 years longer.

That's 2.9M years of life stolen from 2.9 million 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 Sulawesi Tengah. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Palu
    1.6 years lost
  • 2.Sigi
    1.6 years lost
  • 3.Poso
    1.2 years lost
  • 4.Morowali
    1 years lost
  • 5.Parigi Moutong
    1 years lost
  • 6.Donggala
    0.8 years lost
  • 7.Toli-Toli
    0.8 years lost
  • 8.Tojo Una-Una
    0.8 years lost
  • 9.Buol
    0.7 years lost
  • 10.Banggai
    0.6 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
5.1%
145K
10-15 µg/m³
39.5%
1.1M
15-25 µg/m³
55.4%
1.6M
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0

All 11 Districts in Sulawesi Tengah

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Parigi Moutong435K
15.1
1.0 years
Palu368K
21.2
1.6 years
Banggai337K
11.3
0.6 years
Donggala288K
13.0
0.8 years
Sigi267K
21.1
1.6 years
Morowali266K
15.7
1.0 years
Poso246K
16.8
1.2 years
Toli-Toli210K
13.0
0.8 years
Tojo Una-Una151K
12.8
0.8 years
Banggai Kepulauan145K
8.8
0.4 years
Buol144K
11.7
0.7 years

Showing 11 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.