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.

Hungary's Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén

Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 642 thousand across 15 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 11.5µg/m³. That's 2.3 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 191 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 Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.63 years longer.

That's 404K years of life stolen from 642 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 Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Encsi
0.7 years lost
2.Abaúj-Hegyközi
0.7 years lost
3.Tokaji
0.7 years lost
4.Edelényi
0.7 years lost
5.Szikszó
0.7 years lost
6.Szerencs
0.7 years lost
7.Sárospatak
0.7 years lost
8.Tiszaújváros
0.7 years lost
9.Sátoraljaújhely
0.6 years lost
10.Kazincbarcikai
0.6 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

10-15 µg/m³

100%

642K

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 15 Districts in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén

Complete air quality data for every district in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Miskolci	243K	11.4	0.6 years
Ózdi	62K	11.1	0.6 years
Kazincbarcikai	57K	11.5	0.6 years
Szerencs	41K	11.7	0.7 years
Mezőkövesdi	40K	10.7	0.6 years
Edelényi	34K	11.8	0.7 years
Tiszaújváros	30K	11.7	0.7 years
Encsi	24K	12.0	0.7 years
Sárospatak	22K	11.7	0.7 years
Sátoraljaújhely	20K	11.5	0.6 years
Szikszó	18K	11.8	0.7 years
Bodrogközi	15K	11.1	0.6 years
Mezőcsáti	13K	11.3	0.6 years
Tokaji	11K	11.8	0.7 years
Abaúj-Hegyközi	11K	12.0	0.7 years

Showing 15 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén is Injurious to Health.