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.

Philippines's Sorsogon Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Sorsogon

Sorsogon faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 812 thousand across 15 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 11µg/m³. That's 2.2 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 183 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 Sorsogon met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.6 years longer.

That's 487K years of life stolen from 812 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 Sorsogon. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Magallanes
0.7 years lost
2.Castilla
0.7 years lost
3.Pilar
0.7 years lost
4.Bulan
0.6 years lost
5.Donsol
0.6 years lost
6.Juban
0.6 years lost
7.Casiguran
0.6 years lost
8.Irosin
0.6 years lost
9.Sorsogon City
0.6 years lost
10.Gubat
0.5 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

2.2%

18K

10-15 µg/m³

97.8%

794K

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 15 Districts in Sorsogon

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Sorsogon City	186K	10.8	0.6 years
Bulan	98K	11.5	0.6 years
Pilar	70K	11.7	0.7 years
Irosin	62K	10.9	0.6 years
Castilla	59K	11.7	0.7 years
Gubat	59K	10.5	0.5 years
Donsol	49K	11.4	0.6 years
Matnog	40K	10.4	0.5 years
Casiguran	37K	11.1	0.6 years
Juban	37K	11.4	0.6 years
Magallanes	36K	11.7	0.7 years
Bulusan	24K	10.2	0.5 years
Barcelona	20K	10.1	0.5 years
Prieto Diaz	18K	9.3	0.4 years
Santa Magdalena	17K	10.3	0.5 years

Showing 15 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Sorsogon is Injurious to Health.