Breathing in Okayama is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 1.9 million people across 30 districts in Okayama. The average PM2.5 level is 10.3 µg/m³—2.1× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in Okayama

Okayama faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.9 million across 30 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 10.3µg/m³. That's 2.1 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 171 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 Okayama met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.53 years longer.

That's 982K years of life stolen from 1.9 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

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

  • 1.Hayashima
    0.6 years lost
  • 2.Okayama
    0.6 years lost
  • 3.Kurashiki
    0.6 years lost
  • 4.Tamano
    0.5 years lost
  • 5.Sōja
    0.5 years lost
  • 6.Kasaoka
    0.5 years lost
  • 7.Satoshō
    0.5 years lost
  • 8.Asakuchi
    0.5 years lost
  • 9.Setouchi
    0.5 years lost
  • 10.Naoshima
    0.4 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
0%
0
5-10 µg/m³
30.4%
563K
10-15 µg/m³
69.6%
1.3M
15-25 µg/m³
0%
0
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 30 Districts in Okayama

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Okayama687K
11.3
0.6 years
Kurashiki462K
10.8
0.6 years
Tsuyama100K
9.0
0.4 years
Sōja70K
10.0
0.5 years
Tamano53K
10.1
0.5 years
Akaiwa46K
8.7
0.4 years
Kasaoka43K
10.0
0.5 years
Maniwa42K
8.1
0.3 years
Ibara38K
9.2
0.4 years
Setouchi32K
9.8
0.5 years
Bizen30K
8.4
0.3 years
Asakuchi29K
9.8
0.5 years
Takahashi28K
8.0
0.3 years
Niimi28K
8.0
0.3 years
Mimasaka24K
8.0
0.3 years
Hayashima18K
11.4
0.6 years
Wake14K
8.2
0.3 years
Yakage14K
9.2
0.4 years
Kagamino13K
8.5
0.3 years
Satoshō13K
9.9
0.5 years
Misaki12K
8.1
0.3 years
Shōdoshima12K
8.3
0.3 years
Tonoshō11K
8.5
0.3 years
Kibichūō11K
8.0
0.3 years
Shōō9K
8.7
0.4 years
Nagi6K
8.5
0.3 years
Kumenan4K
7.9
0.3 years
Naoshima2K
9.3
0.4 years
Nishiawakura1K
7.7
0.3 years
Shinjō1K
7.3
0.2 years

Showing 30 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.