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.

Poland's Dolnośląskie Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Dolnośląskie

Dolnośląskie faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 3.0 million across 29 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 12.1µg/m³. That's 2.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 201 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 Dolnośląskie met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.7 years longer.

That's 2.1M years of life stolen from 3.0 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 Dolnośląskie. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Oleśnica
0.8 years lost
2.Świdnica
0.8 years lost
3.Milicz
0.8 years lost
4.Środa Śląska
0.8 years lost
5.Wrocław (City)
0.8 years lost
6.Dzierżoniów
0.8 years lost
7.Wrocław
0.8 years lost
8.Oława
0.7 years lost
9.Trzebnica
0.7 years lost
10.Wołów
0.7 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

8.5%

255K

10-15 µg/m³

91.5%

2.7M

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 29 Districts in Dolnośląskie

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Wrocław (City)	696K	12.9	0.8 years
Wrocław	182K	12.8	0.8 years
Wałbrzych	164K	11.7	0.7 years
Świdnica	159K	13.2	0.8 years
Kłodzko	157K	11.8	0.7 years
Oleśnica	110K	13.2	0.8 years
Lubiń	108K	12.1	0.7 years
Dzierżoniów	101K	12.9	0.8 years
Legnica (City)	98K	11.4	0.6 years
Bolesławiec	91K	10.2	0.5 years
Zgorzelec	91K	8.6	0.4 years
Trzebnica	90K	12.5	0.7 years
Głogów	90K	11.9	0.7 years
Oława	80K	12.6	0.7 years
Jelenia Góra (City)	80K	11.1	0.6 years
Ząbkowice Śląskie	64K	12.3	0.7 years
Jelenia Góra	64K	9.5	0.4 years
Polkowice	64K	11.6	0.6 years
Środa Śląska	60K	13.0	0.8 years
Legnica	57K	11.5	0.6 years
Lubań	55K	8.8	0.4 years
Jawor	50K	12.3	0.7 years
Wołów	48K	12.4	0.7 years
Lwówek Śląski	45K	9.7	0.5 years
Strzelin	44K	11.9	0.7 years
Kamienna Góra	43K	10.7	0.6 years
Złotoryja	43K	11.3	0.6 years
Milicz	37K	13.1	0.8 years
Góra	34K	12.4	0.7 years

Showing 29 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Dolnośląskie is Injurious to Health.