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.

Denmark's Hovedstaden Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Hovedstaden

Hovedstaden faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.9 million across 30 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 6.9µg/m³. That's 1.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 114 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 Hovedstaden met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.18 years longer.

That's 336K years of life stolen from 1.9 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 Hovedstaden. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Frederiksberg
0.2 years lost
2.København
0.2 years lost
3.Hvidovre
0.2 years lost
4.Brøndby
0.2 years lost
5.Ishøj
0.2 years lost
6.Glostrup
0.2 years lost
7.Rødovre
0.2 years lost
8.Vallensbæk
0.2 years lost
9.Tårnby
0.2 years lost
10.Albertslund
0.2 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

100%

1.9M

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 30 Districts in Hovedstaden

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
København	645K	7.3	0.2 years
Frederiksberg	105K	7.3	0.2 years
Gentofte	73K	7.0	0.2 years
Gladsaxe	71K	7.1	0.2 years
Helsingør	61K	6.0	0.1 years
Lyngby-Taarbæk	58K	6.9	0.2 years
Rudersdal	58K	6.4	0.1 years
Hillerød	54K	6.1	0.1 years
Høje Taastrup	53K	6.9	0.2 years
Hvidovre	53K	7.3	0.2 years
Ballerup	50K	6.9	0.2 years
Egedal	45K	6.5	0.1 years
Frederikssund	45K	6.4	0.1 years
Tårnby	43K	7.2	0.2 years
Furesø	42K	6.6	0.2 years
Rødovre	42K	7.2	0.2 years
Fredensborg	41K	6.0	0.1 years
Gribskov	40K	5.8	0.1 years
Bornholm	38K	5.6	0.1 years
Brøndby	36K	7.3	0.2 years
Halsnæs	31K	6.2	0.1 years
Herlev	29K	7.1	0.2 years
Albertslund	28K	7.2	0.2 years
Allerød	26K	6.2	0.1 years
Hørsholm	25K	6.2	0.1 years
Glostrup	23K	7.2	0.2 years
Ishøj	22K	7.2	0.2 years
Vallensbæk	17K	7.2	0.2 years
Dragør	14K	6.9	0.2 years
Christiansø	94	5.3	0.0 years

Showing 30 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Hovedstaden is Injurious to Health.