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 Viseu Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Viseu

Viseu faces significant air pollution challenges. 46% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 347 thousand across 24 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 5.2µg/m³. That's 1.0 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 86 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 Viseu met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.02 years longer.

That's 7K years of life stolen from 347 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 Viseu. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Mortágua
0.2 years lost
2.Santa Comba Dão
0.1 years lost
3.Oliveira de Frades
0.1 years lost
4.Tondela
0.1 years lost
5.Carregal do Sal
0.1 years lost
6.Vouzela
0.1 years lost
7.São Pedro do Sul
0 years lost
8.Cinfães
0 years lost
9.Viseu
0 years lost
10.Nelas
0 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

30.7%

106K

5-10 µg/m³

69.3%

241K

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 24 Districts in Viseu

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Viseu	99K	5.2	0.0 years
Tondela	26K	5.9	0.1 years
Lamego	24K	5.0	0.0 years
Mangualde	18K	4.8	0.0 years
Cinfães	17K	5.3	0.0 years
São Pedro do Sul	15K	5.3	0.0 years
Castro Daire	14K	4.7	0.0 years
Nelas	13K	5.1	0.0 years
Sátão	11K	4.6	0.0 years
Santa Comba Dão	11K	6.3	0.1 years
Resende	10K	5.0	0.0 years
Vouzela	9K	5.6	0.1 years
Oliveira de Frades	9K	6.3	0.1 years
Moimenta da Beira	9K	4.6	0.0 years
Carregal do Sal	9K	5.7	0.1 years
Mortágua	9K	7.0	0.2 years
Tarouca	7K	4.7	0.0 years
Penalva do Castelo	7K	4.6	0.0 years
São João da Pesqueira	7K	4.8	0.0 years
Sernancelhe	6K	4.5	0.0 years
Armamar	6K	4.8	0.0 years
Tabuaço	5K	4.7	0.0 years
Vila Nova de Paiva	5K	4.7	0.0 years
Penedono	3K	4.6	0.0 years

Showing 24 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Viseu is Injurious to Health.