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 Saga Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Saga

Saga faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 806 thousand across 20 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 14.2µg/m³. That's 2.8 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 236 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 Saga met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.89 years longer.

That's 717K years of life stolen from 806 thousand 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 Saga. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Miyaki
1.1 years lost
2.Kanzaki
1.1 years lost
3.Saga
1 years lost
4.Kamimine
1 years lost
5.Shiroishi
1 years lost
6.Yoshinogari
1 years lost
7.Tosu
1 years lost
8.Kōhoku
1 years lost
9.Ogi
1 years lost
10.Kiyama
0.9 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

46.5%

375K

15-25 µg/m³

53.5%

431K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 20 Districts in Saga

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Saga	238K	15.7	1.0 years
Karatsu	108K	11.8	0.7 years
Tosu	72K	15.5	1.0 years
Imari	51K	10.9	0.6 years
Takeo	47K	12.5	0.7 years
Ogi	44K	14.9	1.0 years
Miyaki	33K	15.8	1.1 years
Kanzaki	32K	15.7	1.1 years
Kashima	26K	14.0	0.9 years
Ureshino	26K	12.5	0.7 years
Shiroishi	22K	15.6	1.0 years
Yoshinogari	21K	15.5	1.0 years
Arita	19K	11.0	0.6 years
Taku	19K	13.2	0.8 years
Kiyama	17K	14.6	0.9 years
Kōhoku	8K	15.0	1.0 years
Tara	7K	12.8	0.8 years
Ōmachi	7K	14.4	0.9 years
Genkai	5K	11.4	0.6 years
Kamimine	5K	15.7	1.0 years

Showing 20 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Saga is Injurious to Health.