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.

Guatemala's Sacatepéquez Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Sacatepéquez

Sacatepéquez faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 416 thousand across 16 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 39.2µg/m³. That's 7.8 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 650 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 Sacatepéquez met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 3.35 years longer.

That's 1.4M years of life stolen from 416 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 Sacatepéquez. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.San Lucas Sacatepéquez
3.7 years lost
2.Santa Lucía Milpas Altas
3.7 years lost
3.Magdalena Milpas Altas
3.7 years lost
4.Santa María de Jesús
3.6 years lost
5.San Bartolomé Milpas Altas
3.5 years lost
6.Ciudad Vieja
3.5 years lost
7.Antigua Guatemala
3.5 years lost
8.San Antonio Aguas Calientes
3.4 years lost
9.Jocotenango
3.4 years lost
10.San Miguel Dueñas
3.3 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

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

14.8%

62K

> 35 µg/m³

85.2%

354K

Districts

All 16 Districts in Sacatepéquez

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Antigua Guatemala	59K	40.4	3.5 years
Sumpango	43K	33.7	2.8 years
Ciudad Vieja	38K	40.5	3.5 years
Santiago Sacatepéquez	36K	38.0	3.2 years
San Lucas Sacatepéquez	36K	42.9	3.7 years
Alotenango	31K	38.1	3.2 years
Santa María de Jesús	26K	41.8	3.6 years
Jocotenango	25K	39.5	3.4 years
Pastores	22K	36.3	3.1 years
Santa Lucía Milpas Altas	20K	42.4	3.7 years
Santo Domingo Xenacoj	19K	34.1	2.8 years
Magdalena Milpas Altas	17K	42.3	3.7 years
San Miguel Dueñas	15K	39.2	3.3 years
San Antonio Aguas Calientes	14K	39.6	3.4 years
San Bartolomé Milpas Altas	12K	40.8	3.5 years
Santa Catarina Barahona	4K	38.3	3.3 years

Showing 16 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Sacatepéquez is Injurious to Health.