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.

Switzerland's Bern Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Bern

Bern faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.1 million across 26 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 7.1µg/m³. That's 1.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 118 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 Bern met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.22 years longer.

That's 234K years of life stolen from 1.1 million 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 Bern. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Interlaken
0.4 years lost
2.Oberhasli
0.4 years lost
3.Frutigen
0.3 years lost
4.Niedersimmental
0.3 years lost
5.Thun
0.3 years lost
6.Obersimmental
0.3 years lost
7.Saanen
0.3 years lost
8.Seftigen
0.2 years lost
9.Konolfingen
0.2 years lost
10.Bern
0.2 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%

1.1M

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 26 Districts in Bern

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Bern	189K	6.9	0.2 years
Thun	85K	8.0	0.3 years
Interlaken	72K	8.7	0.4 years
Konolfingen	55K	6.9	0.2 years
Aarwangen	53K	6.7	0.2 years
Burgdorf	52K	6.5	0.2 years
Nidau	48K	6.7	0.2 years
Wangen	41K	6.6	0.2 years
Seftigen	40K	7.2	0.2 years
Aarberg	39K	6.7	0.2 years
Fraubrunnen	39K	6.8	0.2 years
Niedersimmental	33K	8.3	0.3 years
Courtelary	31K	6.0	0.1 years
Signau	31K	6.5	0.1 years
Frutigen	31K	8.4	0.3 years
Biel	29K	6.6	0.2 years
Trachselwald	28K	6.0	0.1 years
Moutier	28K	6.0	0.1 years
Büren	26K	6.7	0.2 years
Obersimmental	19K	7.9	0.3 years
Laupen	19K	6.8	0.2 years
Oberhasli	18K	8.7	0.4 years
Saanen	17K	7.8	0.3 years
Erlach	16K	6.7	0.2 years
Schwarzenburg	16K	6.7	0.2 years
La Neuveville	6K	6.0	0.1 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 Bern is Injurious to Health.