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 Ratnapura Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Ratnapura

Ratnapura faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.2 million across 17 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 17.7µg/m³. That's 3.5 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 294 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 Ratnapura met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.25 years longer.

That's 1.5M years of life stolen from 1.2 million 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 Ratnapura. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Ratnapura
1.5 years lost
2.Kuruvita
1.5 years lost
3.Pelmadulla
1.4 years lost
4.Kiriella
1.4 years lost
5.Eheliyagoda
1.4 years lost
6.Elapatha
1.4 years lost
7.Opanayaka
1.3 years lost
8.Imbulpe
1.3 years lost
9.Balangoda
1.3 years lost
10.Nivithigala
1.2 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

21.4%

251K

15-25 µg/m³

78.6%

926K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 17 Districts in Ratnapura

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Embilipitiya	152K	13.8	0.9 years
Ratnapura	132K	20.6	1.5 years
Kuruvita	115K	20.5	1.5 years
Pelmadulla	95K	19.3	1.4 years
Balangoda	88K	18.2	1.3 years
Godakawela	82K	16.4	1.1 years
Eheliyagoda	69K	18.9	1.4 years
Imbulpe	64K	18.5	1.3 years
Nivithigala	64K	17.2	1.2 years
Kalawana	55K	14.7	0.9 years
Kahawatta	49K	16.9	1.2 years
Kolonna	44K	13.8	0.9 years
Elapatha	38K	18.8	1.4 years
Ayagama	34K	17.0	1.2 years
Kiriella	33K	19.0	1.4 years
Weligepola	33K	16.8	1.2 years
Opanayaka	28K	18.6	1.3 years

Showing 17 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Ratnapura is Injurious to Health.