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.

Netherlands's Limburg Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Limburg

Limburg faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.1 million across 31 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 7.5µg/m³. That's 1.5 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 124 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 Limburg met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.25 years longer.

That's 279K years of life stolen from 1.1 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 Limburg. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Venlo
0.3 years lost
2.Gennep
0.3 years lost
3.Stein
0.3 years lost
4.Beek
0.3 years lost
5.Bergen
0.3 years lost
6.Landgraaf
0.3 years lost
7.Mook en Middelaar
0.3 years lost
8.Maasgouw
0.3 years lost
9.Horst aan de Maas
0.3 years lost
10.Sittard-Geleen
0.3 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%

1.1M

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 31 Districts in Limburg

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Maastricht	119K	7.3	0.2 years
Venlo	97K	7.9	0.3 years
Heerlen	93K	7.5	0.2 years
Sittard-Geleen	91K	7.6	0.3 years
Roermond	59K	7.4	0.2 years
Weert	52K	7.6	0.3 years
Peel en Maas	49K	7.6	0.3 years
Horst aan de Maas	45K	7.6	0.3 years
Venray	44K	7.5	0.2 years
Kerkrade	42K	7.6	0.3 years
Beekdaelen	36K	7.6	0.3 years
Leudal	36K	7.5	0.2 years
Landgraaf	33K	7.7	0.3 years
Echt-Susteren	31K	7.6	0.3 years
Stein	27K	7.8	0.3 years
Brunssum	26K	7.5	0.2 years
Eijsden-Margraten	25K	7.0	0.2 years
Maasgouw	24K	7.6	0.3 years
Roerdalen	21K	7.4	0.2 years
Beek	18K	7.8	0.3 years
Valkenburg aan de Geul	17K	7.2	0.2 years
Nederweert	17K	7.4	0.2 years
Gennep	17K	7.8	0.3 years
Voerendaal	16K	7.3	0.2 years
Meerssen	16K	7.5	0.2 years
Gulpen-Wittem	14K	7.0	0.2 years
Beesel	13K	7.5	0.2 years
Bergen	13K	7.7	0.3 years
Simpelveld	10K	7.3	0.2 years
Vaals	10K	7.0	0.2 years
Mook en Middelaar	5K	7.7	0.3 years

Showing 31 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Limburg is Injurious to Health.