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.

Russia's Murmansk Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Murmansk

Murmansk faces significant air pollution challenges. 0% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 222 thousand across 17 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 3.1µg/m³. That's 0.6 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 51 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 Murmansk met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0 years longer.

That's 0 years of life stolen from 222 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 Murmansk. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Kirovsk gorsovet
0 years lost
2.Kandalaksha gorsovet
0 years lost
3.Apatity gorsovet
0 years lost
4.Olenegorsk gorsovet
0 years lost
5.Polyarnye
0 years lost
6.Monchegorsk gorsovet
0 years lost
7.Water body
0 years lost
8.Kol'skiy rayon
0 years lost
9.Terskiy rayon
0 years lost
10.Kovdorskiy rayon
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

100%

222K

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 17 Districts in Murmansk

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³
Apatity gorsovet	78K	3.1
Kandalaksha gorsovet	44K	3.2
Monchegorsk gorsovet	35K	3.0
Kovdorskiy rayon	20K	2.8
Water body	12K	3.0
Polyarnye	12K	3.1
Kirovsk gorsovet	9K	3.3
Levozerskiy rayon	7K	2.7
Terskiy rayon	6K	2.8
Olenegorsk gorsovet	260	3.1
Kol'skiy rayon	111	2.9
Murmansk	0	0.0
Murmansk gorod	0	0.0
Pechengskiy rayon	0	0.0
Polyarnye gorsovet	0	0.0
Polyarnye Zori	0	0.0
Severomorsk gorsovet	0	0.0

Showing 17 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Murmansk is Injurious to Health.