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.

Norway's Akershus Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Akershus

Akershus faces significant air pollution challenges. 81% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 649 thousand across 21 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 5.7µg/m³. That's 1.1 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 95 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 Akershus met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.07 years longer.

That's 45K years of life stolen from 649 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 Akershus. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Asker
0.1 years lost
2.Bærum
0.1 years lost
3.Oppegård
0.1 years lost
4.Frogn
0.1 years lost
5.Ås
0.1 years lost
6.Ski
0.1 years lost
7.Vestby
0.1 years lost
8.Lørenskog
0.1 years lost
9.Skedsmo
0.1 years lost
10.Rælingen
0.1 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

13.6%

88K

5-10 µg/m³

86.4%

561K

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 21 Districts in Akershus

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Bærum	128K	6.1	0.1 years
Skedsmo	84K	5.7	0.1 years
Asker	52K	6.1	0.1 years
Nesodden	43K	5.4	0.0 years
Ullensaker	43K	4.9	0.0 years
Ski	35K	5.9	0.1 years
Lørenskog	35K	5.8	0.1 years
Eidsvoll	27K	4.5	0.0 years
Nittedal	25K	5.6	0.1 years
Oppegård	25K	6.0	0.1 years
Sørum	22K	5.2	0.0 years
Ås	21K	5.9	0.1 years
Vestby	18K	5.8	0.1 years
Aurskog-Høland	17K	5.0	0.0 years
Fet	16K	5.4	0.0 years
Nannestad	15K	4.8	0.0 years
Frogn	14K	5.9	0.1 years
Enebakk	11K	5.6	0.1 years
Gjerdrum	7K	5.4	0.0 years
Rælingen	7K	5.6	0.1 years
Hurdal	3K	4.5	0.0 years

Showing 21 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Akershus is Injurious to Health.