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.

Ireland's Cork Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Cork

Cork faces significant air pollution challenges. 0% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 351 thousand across 8 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 4.5µg/m³. That's 0.9 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 75 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 Cork met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0 years longer.

That's 0 years of life stolen from 351 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 8 most polluted districts in Cork. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Cobh
0 years lost
2.Carrigaline
0 years lost
3.East Cork
0 years lost
4.Kanturk - Mallow
0 years lost
5.Bandon - Kinsale
0 years lost
6.Fermoy
0 years lost
7.West Cork
0 years lost
8.Macroom
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%

351K

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 8 Districts in Cork

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³
Kanturk - Mallow	58K	4.5
West Cork	55K	4.4
East Cork	48K	4.5
Macroom	40K	4.3
Bandon - Kinsale	40K	4.4
Fermoy	39K	4.4
Cobh	36K	4.7
Carrigaline	35K	4.6

Showing 8 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Cork is Injurious to Health.