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 Zachodniopomorskie Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Zachodniopomorskie

Zachodniopomorskie faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.7 million across 22 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 8.3µg/m³. That's 1.7 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 138 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 Zachodniopomorskie met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.34 years longer.

That's 579K years of life stolen from 1.7 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 Zachodniopomorskie. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Wałcz
0.5 years lost
2.Choszczno
0.4 years lost
3.Myślibórz
0.4 years lost
4.Szczecin
0.4 years lost
5.Police
0.4 years lost
6.Pyrzyce
0.4 years lost
7.Szczecinek
0.4 years lost
8.Drawsko
0.3 years lost
9.Gryfino
0.3 years lost
10.Stargard
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%

1.7M

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 22 Districts in Zachodniopomorskie

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Szczecin	410K	8.9	0.4 years
Stargard	123K	8.4	0.3 years
Koszalin (City)	108K	7.6	0.3 years
Police	85K	8.7	0.4 years
Goleniów	85K	8.1	0.3 years
Gryfino	81K	8.4	0.3 years
Szczecinek	77K	8.6	0.4 years
Kołobrzeg	77K	7.3	0.2 years
Koszalin	69K	7.7	0.3 years
Myślibórz	66K	9.1	0.4 years
Gryfice	58K	7.3	0.2 years
Drawsko	57K	8.5	0.3 years
Sławno	56K	7.6	0.3 years
Wałcz	53K	9.9	0.5 years
Choszczno	47K	9.2	0.4 years
Białogard	47K	7.7	0.3 years
Świdwin	46K	7.5	0.2 years
Kamień	43K	7.3	0.2 years
Świnoujście	41K	7.9	0.3 years
Pyrzyce	39K	8.7	0.4 years
Łobez	36K	7.9	0.3 years
Zalew Szczeciński	598	7.9	0.3 years

Showing 22 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Zachodniopomorskie is Injurious to Health.