Breathing in Kedah is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 2.3 million people across 12 districts in Kedah. The average PM2.5 level is 16.2 µg/m³—3.2Ɨ higher than the WHO guideline.

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Air Pollution in Kedah

Kedah faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 2.3 million across 12 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 16.2µg/m³. That's 3.2 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 269 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 Kedah met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.08 years longer.

That's 2.4M years of life stolen from 2.3 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 Kedah. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Kota Setar
    1.3 years lost
  • 2.Kuala Muda
    1.1 years lost
  • 3.Kulim
    1.1 years lost
  • 4.Yan
    1.1 years lost
  • 5.Kubang Pasu
    1.1 years lost
  • 6.Pendang
    1.1 years lost
  • 7.Pokok Sena
    1.1 years lost
  • 8.Bandar Baharu
    1 years lost
  • 9.Baling
    0.9 years lost
  • 10.Sik
    0.8 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
0%
0
10-15 µg/m³
17.8%
402K
15-25 µg/m³
82.2%
1.9M
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0

All 12 Districts in Kedah

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Kuala Muda567K
16.7
1.1 years
Kota Setar369K
17.9
1.3 years
Kulim361K
16.5
1.1 years
Kubang Pasu248K
16.4
1.1 years
Baling169K
13.9
0.9 years
Pendang104K
16.3
1.1 years
Langkawi93K
13.3
0.8 years
Pokok Sena79K
16.1
1.1 years
Yan79K
16.5
1.1 years
Sik71K
13.5
0.8 years
Padang Terap69K
13.4
0.8 years
Bandar Baharu45K
15.5
1.0 years

Showing 12 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.