Breathing in Kalutara is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 1.3 million people across 14 districts in Kalutara. The average PM2.5 level is 16 µg/m³—3.2Ɨ higher than the WHO guideline.

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Air Pollution in Kalutara

Kalutara faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.3 million across 14 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 16µg/m³. That's 3.2 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 265 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 Kalutara met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.08 years longer.

That's 1.4M years of life stolen from 1.3 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 Kalutara. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Ingiriya
    1.2 years lost
  • 2.Panadura
    1.2 years lost
  • 3.Horana
    1.2 years lost
  • 4.Bandaragama
    1.2 years lost
  • 5.Millaniya
    1.1 years lost
  • 6.Madurawala
    1.1 years lost
  • 7.Kalutara
    1.1 years lost
  • 8.Bulathsinhala
    1.1 years lost
  • 9.Dodangoda
    1 years lost
  • 10.Beruwala
    1 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
18.2%
232K
15-25 µg/m³
81.8%
1.0M
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0

All 14 Districts in Kalutara

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Panadura192K
17.1
1.2 years
Beruwala173K
15.3
1.0 years
Kalutara163K
16.3
1.1 years
Bandaragama112K
16.9
1.2 years
Horana112K
17.0
1.2 years
Mathugama83K
14.3
0.9 years
Bulathsinhala68K
16.2
1.1 years
Dodangoda68K
15.4
1.0 years
Ingiriya60K
17.2
1.2 years
Walallawita58K
13.6
0.8 years
Millaniya56K
16.3
1.1 years
Palindanuwara53K
14.8
1.0 years
Agalawatta38K
14.3
0.9 years
Madurawala35K
16.3
1.1 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.