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.

Belarus's Gomel Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Gomel

Gomel faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.4 million across 21 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 9.5µg/m³. That's 1.9 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 158 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 Gomel met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.41 years longer.

That's 577K years of life stolen from 1.4 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 Gomel. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Mazyr
0.5 years lost
2.Naroulya
0.5 years lost
3.Kalinkavichy
0.5 years lost
4.Gomyel
0.4 years lost
5.Svyetlahorsk
0.4 years lost
6.Chachersk
0.4 years lost
7.Yel'sk
0.4 years lost
8.Vyetka
0.4 years lost
9.Dobruš
0.4 years lost
10.Khoyniki
0.4 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

100%

1.4M

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 21 Districts in Gomel

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Gomyel	589K	9.6	0.4 years
Mazyr	128K	9.9	0.5 years
Žlobin	103K	9.3	0.4 years
Rechytsa	101K	9.3	0.4 years
Svyetlahorsk	82K	9.6	0.4 years
Kalinkavichy	59K	9.6	0.5 years
Rahachow	55K	9.3	0.4 years
Dobruš	38K	9.4	0.4 years
Žytkavičy	36K	9.0	0.4 years
Buda-Kashalyowa	32K	9.2	0.4 years
Pyetrykaw	30K	9.1	0.4 years
Lyelchytsy	25K	9.3	0.4 years
Khoyniki	20K	9.4	0.4 years
Vyetka	18K	9.5	0.4 years
Yel'sk	16K	9.5	0.4 years
Chachersk	14K	9.5	0.4 years
Aktsyabar	14K	9.3	0.4 years
Karma	14K	9.3	0.4 years
Brahin	13K	9.1	0.4 years
Loyew	12K	9.4	0.4 years
Naroulya	11K	9.7	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 Gomel is Injurious to Health.