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.

Romania's Brăila Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Brăila

Brăila faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 272 thousand across 43 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 9.7µg/m³. That's 1.9 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 161 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 Brăila met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.44 years longer.

That's 120K years of life stolen from 272 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 Brăila. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Marasu
0.6 years lost
2.Jirlau
0.6 years lost
3.Frecatei
0.5 years lost
4.Faurei
0.5 years lost
5.Stancuta
0.5 years lost
6.Visani
0.5 years lost
7.Surdila-greci
0.5 years lost
8.Salcia Tudor
0.5 years lost
9.Galbenu
0.5 years lost
10.Surdila-gaiseanca
0.5 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

72.6%

198K

10-15 µg/m³

27.4%

75K

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 43 Districts in Brăila

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Braila	130K	9.5	0.4 years
Chiscani	16K	10.1	0.5 years
Ianca	9K	9.7	0.5 years
Vadeni	5K	9.6	0.5 years
Insuratei	5K	9.3	0.4 years
Traian	5K	8.8	0.4 years
Viziru	5K	9.0	0.4 years
Maxineni	5K	10.3	0.5 years
Tudor Vladimirescu	5K	9.5	0.4 years
Ciresu	4K	9.9	0.5 years
Unirea	4K	9.1	0.4 years
Salcia Tudor	4K	10.4	0.5 years
Ulmu	4K	10.0	0.5 years
Tufesti	3K	9.7	0.5 years
Marasu	3K	11.3	0.6 years
Baraganul	3K	9.1	0.4 years
Surdila-greci	3K	10.4	0.5 years
Dudesti	3K	9.6	0.5 years
Ramnicelu	3K	10.2	0.5 years
Victoria	3K	9.8	0.5 years
Stancuta	3K	10.5	0.5 years
Silistea	3K	10.0	0.5 years
Bordei Verde	3K	9.1	0.4 years
Mircea Voda	3K	10.3	0.5 years
Movila Miresii	3K	9.6	0.4 years
Zavoaia	3K	9.9	0.5 years
Frecatei	3K	10.5	0.5 years
Galbenu	3K	10.3	0.5 years
Romanu	3K	10.2	0.5 years
Rosiori	3K	9.5	0.4 years
Gropeni	2K	10.0	0.5 years
Scortaru Nou	2K	10.1	0.5 years
Sutesti	2K	10.1	0.5 years
Surdila-gaiseanca	2K	10.3	0.5 years
Bertestii De Jos	2K	10.2	0.5 years
Gemenele	2K	10.1	0.5 years
Ciocile	2K	9.8	0.5 years
Tichilesti	2K	9.9	0.5 years
Racovita	2K	10.2	0.5 years
Jirlau	2K	10.7	0.6 years
Faurei	2K	10.5	0.5 years
Visani	2K	10.5	0.5 years
Gradistea	2K	10.3	0.5 years

Showing 43 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Brăila is Injurious to Health.