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.

Dominican Republic's Barahona Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Barahona

Barahona faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 184 thousand across 11 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 8.8µg/m³. That's 1.8 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 146 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 Barahona met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.36 years longer.

That's 66K years of life stolen from 184 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 Barahona. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Vicente Noble
0.5 years lost
2.Jaquimeyes
0.5 years lost
3.Santa Cruz de Barahona
0.4 years lost
4.Las Salinas
0.4 years lost
5.Fundación
0.4 years lost
6.El Peñón
0.3 years lost
7.Paraiso
0.3 years lost
8.La Cienaga
0.3 years lost
9.Cabral
0.3 years lost
10.Enriquillo
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

89.7%

165K

10-15 µg/m³

10.3%

19K

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 11 Districts in Barahona

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Santa Cruz de Barahona	81K	9.4	0.4 years
Vicente Noble	19K	10.4	0.5 years
Cabral	16K	7.6	0.3 years
Enriquillo	15K	7.2	0.2 years
Fundación	12K	8.7	0.4 years
Paraiso	11K	8.3	0.3 years
El Peñón	9K	8.4	0.3 years
Polo	8K	5.6	0.1 years
La Cienaga	7K	8.3	0.3 years
Las Salinas	6K	8.8	0.4 years
Jaquimeyes	2K	9.6	0.5 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.

Breathing in Barahona is Injurious to Health.