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.

Iceland's Suðurland Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Suðurland

Suðurland faces significant air pollution challenges. 0% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 28 thousand across 27 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 3.3µg/m³. That's 0.7 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 55 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 Suðurland met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0 years longer.

That's 0 years of life stolen from 28 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 Suðurland. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Hrunamannahreppur
0 years lost
2.Biskupstungnahreppur
0 years lost
3.Gnúpverjahreppur
0 years lost
4.Austur-Eyjafjallahreppur
0 years lost
5.Skaftárhreppur
0 years lost
6.Holta- og Landasveit
0 years lost
7.Laugardalshreppur
0 years lost
8.Rangárvallahreppur
0 years lost
9.Skeiðahreppur
0 years lost
10.Hvolhreppur
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

100%

28K

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 27 Districts in Suðurland

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³
Sveitarfélagið Árborg	10K	3.3
Vestmannaeyjar	4K	2.9
Hveragerði	3K	3.3
Ölfushreppur	2K	3.2
Rangárvallahreppur	858	3.5
Hrunamannahreppur	750	3.8
Mýrdalshreppur	705	3.3
Hvolhreppur	641	3.4
Holta- og Landasveit	636	3.5
Biskupstungnahreppur	608	3.8
Skaftárhreppur	608	3.5
Grímsnes- og Grafningshreppur	474	3.4
Gnúpverjahreppur	383	3.7
Fljótshlíðarhreppur	355	3.4
Villingaholtshreppur	300	3.3
Laugardalshreppur	272	3.5
Vestur-Eyjafjallahreppur	246	3.4
Ásahreppur	233	3.3
Þingvallahreppur	230	3.4
Austur-Landeyjahreppur	224	3.4
Vestur-Landeyjahreppur	217	3.4
Djúpárhreppur	214	3.4
Hraungerðishreppur	201	3.3
Skeiðahreppur	196	3.5
Gaulverjabæjarhreppur	194	3.3
Austur-Eyjafjallahreppur	181	3.5
Uten navn - sysla	23	3.3

Showing 27 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Suðurland is Injurious to Health.