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.

Portugal's Aveiro Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Aveiro

Aveiro faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 691 thousand across 19 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 7.8µg/m³. That's 1.6 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 129 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 Aveiro met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.28 years longer.

That's 193K years of life stolen from 691 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 Aveiro. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Murtosa
0.4 years lost
2.Ovar
0.4 years lost
3.Espinho
0.4 years lost
4.Ílhavo
0.3 years lost
5.Estarreja
0.3 years lost
6.Aveiro
0.3 years lost
7.Santa Maria da Feira
0.3 years lost
8.São João da Madeira
0.3 years lost
9.Oliveira de Azeméis
0.3 years lost
10.Vagos
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%

691K

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 19 Districts in Aveiro

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Santa Maria da Feira	135K	7.9	0.3 years
Aveiro	80K	8.3	0.3 years
Oliveira de Azeméis	65K	7.6	0.3 years
Ovar	53K	8.8	0.4 years
Águeda	46K	7.5	0.2 years
Ílhavo	38K	8.5	0.3 years
Espinho	31K	8.7	0.4 years
Anadia	27K	7.0	0.2 years
Estarreja	26K	8.4	0.3 years
Albergaria-a-Velha	25K	7.5	0.2 years
Oliveira do Bairro	23K	7.4	0.2 years
Vagos	23K	7.6	0.3 years
São João da Madeira	22K	7.8	0.3 years
Vale de Cambra	21K	6.9	0.2 years
Arouca	21K	6.2	0.1 years
Mealhada	19K	7.0	0.2 years
Castelo de Paiva	15K	6.3	0.1 years
Sever do Vouga	11K	6.8	0.2 years
Murtosa	10K	9.0	0.4 years

Showing 19 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Aveiro is Injurious to Health.