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.

Germany's Thüringen Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Thüringen

Thüringen faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 2.1 million across 23 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 6.6µg/m³. That's 1.3 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 110 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 Thüringen met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.16 years longer.

That's 341K years of life stolen from 2.1 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 Thüringen. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Altenburger Land
0.2 years lost
2.Gotha
0.2 years lost
3.Erfurt
0.2 years lost
4.Greiz
0.2 years lost
5.Weimar
0.2 years lost
6.Eichsfeld
0.2 years lost
7.Weimarer Land
0.2 years lost
8.Ilm-Kreis
0.2 years lost
9.Saale-Holzland-Kreis
0.2 years lost
10.Unstrut-Hainich-Kreis
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%

2.1M

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 23 Districts in Thüringen

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Erfurt	216K	6.9	0.2 years
Gotha	136K	6.9	0.2 years
Schmalkalden-Meiningen	124K	6.1	0.1 years
Wartburgkreis	121K	6.3	0.1 years
Jena	112K	6.4	0.1 years
Ilm-Kreis	107K	6.7	0.2 years
Unstrut-Hainich-Kreis	102K	6.7	0.2 years
Saalfeld-Rudolstadt	102K	6.3	0.1 years
Eichsfeld	101K	6.7	0.2 years
Greiz	97K	6.8	0.2 years
Gera	92K	6.6	0.2 years
Altenburger Land	89K	7.1	0.2 years
Saale-Holzland-Kreis	83K	6.7	0.2 years
Weimarer Land	83K	6.7	0.2 years
Nordhausen	83K	6.5	0.1 years
Saale-Orla-Kreis	80K	6.7	0.2 years
Kyffhäuserkreis	74K	6.6	0.2 years
Sömmerda	70K	6.3	0.1 years
Weimar	66K	6.7	0.2 years
Hildburghausen	63K	6.5	0.1 years
Sonneberg	57K	6.1	0.1 years
Eisenach	40K	6.2	0.1 years
Suhl	37K	6.3	0.1 years

Showing 23 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Thüringen is Injurious to Health.