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.

Japan's Iwate Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Iwate

Iwate faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.2 million across 35 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 7.9µg/m³. That's 1.6 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 131 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 Iwate met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.3 years longer.

That's 354K years of life stolen from 1.2 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 Iwate. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Kanegasaki
0.4 years lost
2.Kitakami
0.4 years lost
3.Yahaba
0.4 years lost
4.Morioka
0.4 years lost
5.Ōshū
0.3 years lost
6.Hanamaki
0.3 years lost
7.Shiwa
0.3 years lost
8.Takizawa
0.3 years lost
9.Hiraizumi
0.3 years lost
10.Shizukuishi
0.3 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

100%

1.2M

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 35 Districts in Iwate

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Morioka	277K	8.6	0.4 years
Ōshū	111K	8.5	0.3 years
Ichinoseki	102K	7.6	0.3 years
Kitakami	93K	8.7	0.4 years
Hanamaki	91K	8.5	0.3 years
Takizawa	64K	8.4	0.3 years
Miyako	46K	6.5	0.2 years
Ōfunato	33K	6.3	0.1 years
Kuji	32K	6.8	0.2 years
Shiwa	31K	8.5	0.3 years
Kamaishi	30K	6.1	0.1 years
Tōno	25K	6.4	0.1 years
Ninohe	25K	7.3	0.2 years
Yahaba	25K	8.6	0.4 years
Hachimantai	24K	7.8	0.3 years
Rikuzentakata	17K	6.7	0.2 years
Shizukuishi	16K	7.9	0.3 years
Kanegasaki	15K	8.7	0.4 years
Hirono	13K	6.7	0.2 years
Yamada	13K	6.3	0.1 years
Iwate	12K	7.6	0.3 years
Ichinohe	11K	7.0	0.2 years
Ōtsuchi	11K	6.4	0.1 years
Iwazumi	9K	6.2	0.1 years
Karumai	8K	6.7	0.2 years
Fujisawa	8K	6.9	0.2 years
Hiraizumi	6K	8.1	0.3 years
Kuzumaki	5K	6.7	0.2 years
Kunohe	5K	6.6	0.2 years
Nishiwaga	5K	6.7	0.2 years
Sumita	5K	6.2	0.1 years
Noda	4K	6.8	0.2 years
Tanohata	3K	6.4	0.1 years
Fudai	2K	6.6	0.2 years
Kawai	2K	6.0	0.1 years

Showing 35 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Iwate is Injurious to Health.