Breathing in Puntarenas is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 490 thousand people across 11 districts in Puntarenas. The average PM2.5 level is 12 µg/m³—2.4× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Overview

Air Pollution in Puntarenas

Puntarenas faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 490 thousand across 11 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 12µg/m³. That's 2.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 199 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 Puntarenas met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.68 years longer.

That's 333K years of life stolen from 490 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 Puntarenas. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Montes de Oro
    0.9 years lost
  • 2.Esparza
    0.8 years lost
  • 3.Puntarenas
    0.8 years lost
  • 4.Parrita
    0.8 years lost
  • 5.Garabito
    0.7 years lost
  • 6.Quepos
    0.7 years lost
  • 7.Coto Brus
    0.6 years lost
  • 8.Osa
    0.6 years lost
  • 9.Golfito
    0.6 years lost
  • 10.Buenos Aires
    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
0%
0
5-10 µg/m³
0%
0
10-15 µg/m³
100%
490K
15-25 µg/m³
0%
0
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 11 Districts in Puntarenas

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Puntarenas130K
13.4
0.8 years
Buenos Aires55K
10.6
0.5 years
Corredores53K
10.5
0.5 years
Coto Brus45K
10.9
0.6 years
Golfito44K
10.7
0.6 years
Esparza38K
13.5
0.8 years
Quepos34K
12.4
0.7 years
Osa31K
10.8
0.6 years
Garabito25K
12.5
0.7 years
Parrita20K
12.9
0.8 years
Montes de Oro15K
14.4
0.9 years

Showing 11 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.