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.

Estonia's Ida-Viru Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Ida-Viru

Ida-Viru faces significant air pollution challenges. 64% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 120 thousand across 22 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 5.3µg/m³. That's 1.1 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 88 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 Ida-Viru met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.04 years longer.

That's 5K years of life stolen from 120 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 Ida-Viru. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Alajõe
0.1 years lost
2.Narva
0.1 years lost
3.Iisaku
0.1 years lost
4.Illuka
0.1 years lost
5.Lohusuu
0.1 years lost
6.Narva-Jõesuu
0.1 years lost
7.Vaivara
0 years lost
8.Sillamäe
0 years lost
9.Tudulinna
0 years lost
10.Mäetaguse
0 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

8.9%

11K

5-10 µg/m³

91.1%

109K

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 22 Districts in Ida-Viru

Complete air quality data for every district in Ida-Viru, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Narva	43K	5.7	0.1 years
Kohtla-Järve	30K	5.0	0.0 years
Sillamäe	11K	5.3	0.0 years
Jõhvi	11K	5.0	0.0 years
Vaivara	6K	5.5	0.0 years
Toila	2K	5.2	0.0 years
Kiviõli	2K	4.7	0.0 years
Lüganuse	2K	4.8	0.0 years
Maidla	1K	4.9	0.0 years
Aseri	1K	4.7	0.0 years
Kohtla	1K	5.0	0.0 years
Sonda	1K	4.8	0.0 years
Narva-Jõesuu	1K	5.5	0.1 years
Avinurme	997	5.1	0.0 years
Illuka	840	5.7	0.1 years
Alajõe	824	6.3	0.1 years
Iisaku	754	5.7	0.1 years
Mäetaguse	749	5.2	0.0 years
Lohusuu	681	5.7	0.1 years
Kohtla-Nõmme	641	4.9	0.0 years
Püssi	456	4.7	0.0 years
Tudulinna	424	5.3	0.0 years

Showing 22 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Ida-Viru is Injurious to Health.