Breathing in Rheinland-Pfalz is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 4.2 million people across 36 districts in Rheinland-Pfalz. The average PM2.5 level is 6.8 µg/m³—1.4× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Overview

Air Pollution in Rheinland-Pfalz

Rheinland-Pfalz faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 4.2 million across 36 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 6.8µg/m³. That's 1.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 113 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 Rheinland-Pfalz met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.16 years longer.

That's 665K years of life stolen from 4.2 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 Rheinland-Pfalz. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Ludwigshafen am Rhein
    0.3 years lost
  • 2.Frankenthal (Pfalz)
    0.3 years lost
  • 3.Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis
    0.3 years lost
  • 4.Speyer
    0.3 years lost
  • 5.Mainz
    0.2 years lost
  • 6.Worms
    0.2 years lost
  • 7.Germersheim
    0.2 years lost
  • 8.Alzey-Worms
    0.2 years lost
  • 9.Bad Dürkheim
    0.2 years lost
  • 10.Mayen-Koblenz
    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
0%
0
5-10 µg/m³
100%
4.2M
10-15 µg/m³
0%
0
15-25 µg/m³
0%
0
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 36 Districts in Rheinland-Pfalz

Complete air quality data for every district in Rheinland-Pfalz, sorted by population.

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Mainz220K
7.4
0.2 years
Mayen-Koblenz220K
7.0
0.2 years
Mainz-Bingen215K
6.8
0.2 years
Westerwaldkreis206K
6.2
0.1 years
Neuwied185K
6.5
0.2 years
Ludwigshafen am Rhein170K
8.6
0.3 years
Bad Kreuznach161K
6.5
0.1 years
Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis159K
7.9
0.3 years
Trier-Saarburg155K
6.4
0.1 years
Bad Dürkheim135K
7.1
0.2 years
Alzey-Worms133K
7.2
0.2 years
Altenkirchen (Westerwald)131K
6.2
0.1 years
Germersheim131K
7.3
0.2 years
Ahrweiler129K
6.5
0.1 years
Rhein-Lahn-Kreis125K
6.3
0.1 years
Koblenz115K
6.6
0.2 years
Bernkastel-Wittlich114K
6.1
0.1 years
Südliche Weinstraße112K
6.7
0.2 years
Trier112K
6.4
0.1 years
Kaiserslautern108K
6.2
0.1 years
Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis106K
6.4
0.1 years
Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm102K
6.1
0.1 years
Kaiserslautern (Kreisfreie Stadt101K
6.4
0.1 years
Südwestpfalz95K
5.9
0.1 years
Worms85K
7.4
0.2 years
Birkenfeld82K
6.1
0.1 years
Donnersbergkreis76K
6.9
0.2 years
Kusel71K
6.0
0.1 years
Vulkaneifel62K
5.8
0.1 years
Cochem-Zell61K
6.2
0.1 years
Neustadt an der Weinstraße54K
6.9
0.2 years
Frankenthal (Pfalz)53K
8.1
0.3 years
Speyer50K
7.9
0.3 years
Landau in der Pfalz47K
6.6
0.2 years
Pirmasens41K
5.9
0.1 years
Zweibrücken35K
5.8
0.1 years

Showing 36 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.