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.

Sri Lanka's Jaffna Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Jaffna

Jaffna faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 599 thousand across 14 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 14µg/m³. That's 2.8 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 232 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 Jaffna met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.88 years longer.

That's 527K years of life stolen from 599 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 Jaffna. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Vadamaradchi South-West
1 years lost
2.Thenmaradchy (Chavakachcheri)
1 years lost
3.Vadamaradchy North
0.9 years lost
4.Delft
0.9 years lost
5.Valikamam East
0.9 years lost
6.Valikamam West
0.9 years lost
7.Valikamam South-West
0.9 years lost
8.Vadamaradchy East
0.9 years lost
9.Valikamam South
0.8 years lost
10.Valikamam North
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

10-15 µg/m³

100%

599K

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 14 Districts in Jaffna

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Valikamam East	80K	14.1	0.9 years
Thenmaradchy (Chavakachcheri)	66K	14.7	1.0 years
Nallur	60K	13.5	0.8 years
Jaffna	60K	13.2	0.8 years
Valikamam West	59K	13.9	0.9 years
Valikamam South-West	57K	13.9	0.9 years
Valikamam South	54K	13.7	0.8 years
Vadamaradchy North	48K	14.6	0.9 years
Vadamaradchi South-West	46K	14.8	1.0 years
Valikamam North	29K	13.6	0.8 years
Island South (Velanai)	16K	13.5	0.8 years
Vadamaradchy East	13K	13.7	0.9 years
Islands North (Kayts)	9K	13.5	0.8 years
Delft	3K	14.3	0.9 years

Showing 14 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Jaffna is Injurious to Health.