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 Vesturland Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Vesturland

Vesturland faces significant air pollution challenges. 0% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 14 thousand across 16 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 2.9µg/m³. That's 0.6 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 48 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 Vesturland met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0 years longer.

That's 0 years of life stolen from 14 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 Vesturland. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Hvítársíðuhreppur
0 years lost
2.Borgarfjarðarsveit
0 years lost
3.Hvalfjarðarstrandarhreppur
0 years lost
4.Skorradalshreppur
0 years lost
5.Borgarbyggð
0 years lost
6.Skilmannahreppur
0 years lost
7.Leirár- og Melahreppur
0 years lost
8.Dalabyggð
0 years lost
9.Saurbæjarhreppur
0 years lost
10.Kolbeinsstaðahreppur
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%

14K

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 16 Districts in Vesturland

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³
Akranes	5K	2.8
Borgarbyggð	2K	3.1
Innri-Akraneshreppur	1K	2.8
Snæfellsbær	1K	2.4
Borgarfjarðarsveit	1K	3.4
Helgafellssveit	1K	2.6
Eyrarsveit	620	2.4
Dalabyggð	480	3.0
Hvalfjarðarstrandarhreppur	312	3.2
Kolbeinsstaðahreppur	136	2.8
Skilmannahreppur	124	3.1
Eyja- og Miklaholtshreppur	112	2.7
Hvítársíðuhreppur	111	3.5
Leirár- og Melahreppur	103	3.0
Saurbæjarhreppur	83	2.9
Skorradalshreppur	77	3.2

Showing 16 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Vesturland is Injurious to Health.