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.

Slovenia's Pomurska Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Pomurska

Pomurska faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 211 thousand across 26 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 Pomurska met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.47 years longer.

That's 99K years of life stolen from 211 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 Pomurska. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Veržej
0.5 years lost
2.Murska Sobota
0.5 years lost
3.Beltinci
0.5 years lost
4.Križevci
0.5 years lost
5.Ljutomer
0.5 years lost
6.Lendava
0.5 years lost
7.Črenšovci
0.5 years lost
8.Turnišče
0.5 years lost
9.Razkrižje
0.5 years lost
10.Odranci
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

62.7%

132K

10-15 µg/m³

37.3%

78K

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 26 Districts in Pomurska

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Ljutomer	29K	10.1	0.5 years
Gornja Radgona	27K	9.8	0.5 years
Gornji Petrovci	26K	8.9	0.4 years
Lendava	18K	10.1	0.5 years
Hodoš	16K	9.0	0.4 years
Kobilje	15K	9.9	0.5 years
Črenšovci	9K	10.1	0.5 years
Beltinci	7K	10.1	0.5 years
Radenci	7K	9.9	0.5 years
Moravske Toplice	7K	9.3	0.4 years
Grad	6K	9.0	0.4 years
Rogašovci	5K	9.1	0.4 years
Velika Polana	5K	10.0	0.5 years
Kuzma	4K	8.7	0.4 years
Murska Sobota	4K	10.2	0.5 years
Puconci	4K	9.4	0.4 years
Križevci	4K	10.1	0.5 years
Cankova	3K	9.6	0.4 years
Veržej	2K	10.3	0.5 years
Dobrovnik	2K	9.9	0.5 years
Odranci	2K	10.0	0.5 years
Šalovci	2K	8.9	0.4 years
Tišina	2K	9.9	0.5 years
Razkrižje	2K	10.0	0.5 years
Sveti Jurij	1K	9.7	0.5 years
Turnišče	1K	10.1	0.5 years

Showing 26 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Pomurska is Injurious to Health.