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 Overijssel Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Overijssel

Overijssel faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.2 million across 25 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 Overijssel met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.24 years longer.

That's 281K years of life stolen from 1.2 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 Overijssel. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Hof van Twente
0.3 years lost
2.Rijssen
0.3 years lost
3.Haaksbergen
0.3 years lost
4.Deventer
0.3 years lost
5.Olst-Wijhe
0.3 years lost
6.Wierden
0.3 years lost
7.Hellendoorn
0.3 years lost
8.Hengelo
0.3 years lost
9.Raalte
0.3 years lost
10.Borne
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%

1.2M

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 25 Districts in Overijssel

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Enschede	160K	7.5	0.2 years
Zwolle	131K	7.3	0.2 years
Deventer	100K	7.7	0.3 years
Hengelo	80K	7.6	0.3 years
Almelo	74K	7.5	0.2 years
Hardenberg	61K	7.2	0.2 years
Kampen	55K	7.4	0.2 years
Steenwijkerland	43K	6.9	0.2 years
Rijssen	39K	7.8	0.3 years
Raalte	38K	7.6	0.3 years
Hof van Twente	37K	7.8	0.3 years
Hellendoorn	36K	7.6	0.3 years
Twenterand	34K	7.4	0.2 years
Oldenzaal	32K	7.1	0.2 years
Dalfsen	29K	7.3	0.2 years
Dinkelland	27K	7.1	0.2 years
Wierden	25K	7.7	0.3 years
Borne	25K	7.6	0.3 years
Haaksbergen	25K	7.7	0.3 years
Zwartewaterland	23K	7.2	0.2 years
Losser	22K	7.3	0.2 years
Tubbergen	20K	7.1	0.2 years
Ommen	19K	7.4	0.2 years
Staphorst	19K	7.0	0.2 years
Olst-Wijhe	18K	7.7	0.3 years

Showing 25 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Overijssel is Injurious to Health.