Breathing in San Salvador is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 1.8 million people across 20 districts in San Salvador. The average PM2.5 level is 29.7 Āµg/mĀ³ā€”5.9Ɨ higher than the WHO guideline.

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Overview

Air Pollution in San Salvador

San Salvador faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.8 million across 20 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 29.7Āµg/mĀ³. That's 5.9 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5Āµg/mĀ³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 493 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 Āµg/mĀ³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If San Salvador met the WHO guideline of 5 Āµg/mĀ³, the average person would live 2.42 years longer.

That's 4.3M years of life stolen from 1.8 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 San Salvador. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.El Paisnal
    2.7 years lost
  • 2.Aguilares
    2.7 years lost
  • 3.Ilopango
    2.6 years lost
  • 4.Soyapango
    2.6 years lost
  • 5.San Salvador
    2.5 years lost
  • 6.San Marcos
    2.4 years lost
  • 7.Ayutuxtepeque
    2.4 years lost
  • 8.Mejicanos
    2.4 years lost
  • 9.Santo TomĆ”s
    2.4 years lost
  • 10.Santiago Texacuangos
    2.3 years lost
Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 Āµg/mĀ³ā€”only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 Āµg/mĀ³
0%
0
5-10 Āµg/mĀ³
0%
0
10-15 Āµg/mĀ³
0%
0
15-25 Āµg/mĀ³
0%
0
25-35 Āµg/mĀ³
100%
1.8M
> 35 Āµg/mĀ³
0%
0
Districts

All 20 Districts in San Salvador

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 Āµg/mĀ³Years Lost
San Salvador358K
30.7
2.5 years
Soyapango254K
31.3
2.6 years
Apopa203K
28.5
2.3 years
Mejicanos151K
29.6
2.4 years
Cuscatancingo126K
28.3
2.3 years
San MartĆ­n100K
28.6
2.3 years
Ilopango91K
31.9
2.6 years
Tonacatepeque79K
28.1
2.3 years
Delgado78K
28.6
2.3 years
Ayutuxtepeque76K
29.6
2.4 years
San Marcos48K
29.9
2.4 years
Nejapa42K
27.9
2.2 years
Panchimalco40K
27.3
2.2 years
Santo TomƔs33K
29.4
2.4 years
Guazapa29K
28.6
2.3 years
Rosario de Mora25K
27.0
2.2 years
Aguilares24K
32.0
2.7 years
El Paisnal24K
32.4
2.7 years
Santiago Texacuangos9K
28.7
2.3 years
Lago de Llopango193
25.8
2.0 years

Showing 20 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 Āµg/mĀ³.