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 Surigao del Norte Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Surigao del Norte

Surigao del Norte faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 513 thousand across 21 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 13µg/m³. That's 2.6 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 216 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 Surigao del Norte met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.78 years longer.

That's 400K years of life stolen from 513 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 Surigao del Norte. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Gigaquit
1 years lost
2.Bacuag
1 years lost
3.Alegria
1 years lost
4.Claver
1 years lost
5.Tubod
0.9 years lost
6.Mainit
0.9 years lost
7.Placer
0.9 years lost
8.Malimono
0.8 years lost
9.Tagana-An
0.8 years lost
10.Sison
0.8 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

1.4%

10-15 µg/m³

91.1%

467K

15-25 µg/m³

7.5%

38K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 21 Districts in Surigao del Norte

Complete air quality data for every district in Surigao del Norte, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Surigao City	157K	12.3	0.7 years
Claver	36K	14.9	1.0 years
Mainit	31K	14.1	0.9 years
Placer	29K	13.9	0.9 years
Dapa	26K	11.4	0.6 years
Socorro	25K	12.3	0.7 years
Gigaquit	24K	15.3	1.0 years
Sison	19K	13.2	0.8 years
General Luna	18K	11.0	0.6 years
Malimono	18K	13.4	0.8 years
Del Carmen	18K	12.1	0.7 years
Tagana-An	17K	13.3	0.8 years
Alegria	17K	14.9	1.0 years
Tubod	16K	14.3	0.9 years
Bacuag	15K	15.2	1.0 years
San Isidro	11K	10.9	0.6 years
San Francisco	11K	12.3	0.7 years
Pilar	8K	11.7	0.7 years
Santa Monica	7K	10.0	0.5 years
San Benito	6K	11.0	0.6 years
Burgos	3K	10.0	0.5 years

Showing 21 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Surigao del Norte is Injurious to Health.