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 San Marcos Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in San Marcos

San Marcos faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.2 million across 29 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 23µg/m³. That's 4.6 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 382 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 San Marcos met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.77 years longer.

That's 2.2M years of life stolen from 1.2 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 Marcos. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.El Rodeo
2.6 years lost
2.Malacatán
2.6 years lost
3.Catarina
2.5 years lost
4.Pajapita
2.4 years lost
5.El Tumbador
2.3 years lost
6.Nuevo Progreso
2.3 years lost
7.San Pablo
2.3 years lost
8.Ayutla
2.3 years lost
9.La Reforma
2 years lost
10.El Quetzal
1.9 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

69.1%

855K

25-35 µg/m³

30.9%

382K

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 29 Districts in San Marcos

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Malacatán	117K	31.3	2.6 years
San Pedro Sacatepéquez	100K	21.8	1.6 years
Tacaná	91K	17.9	1.3 years
Concepción Tutuapa	83K	17.2	1.2 years
Comitancillo	69K	19.7	1.4 years
Tajumulco	60K	21.1	1.6 years
San Miguel Ixtahuacán	59K	16.8	1.2 years
San Pablo	57K	28.2	2.3 years
San Marcos	55K	22.4	1.7 years
El Tumbador	50K	28.4	2.3 years
Tejutla	50K	18.3	1.3 years
Ayutla	45K	28.1	2.3 years
Ocos	44K	24.7	1.9 years
Catarina	34K	30.5	2.5 years
Nuevo Progreso	34K	28.3	2.3 years
Ixchiguan	33K	18.1	1.3 years
Pajapita	26K	29.3	2.4 years
El Quetzal	25K	24.8	1.9 years
Sipacapa	24K	16.8	1.2 years
San Rafaél Pie de la Cuesta	24K	23.4	1.8 years
San José Ojetenam	23K	16.9	1.2 years
La Reforma	22K	25.0	2.0 years
San Antonio Sacatepéquez	21K	20.4	1.5 years
El Rodeo	20K	31.8	2.6 years
San Cristobal Cucho	18K	22.0	1.7 years
San Sibinal	17K	19.3	1.4 years
San Lorenzo	17K	20.6	1.5 years
Esquipulas Palo Gordo	13K	23.1	1.8 years
Río Blanco	7K	19.3	1.4 years

Showing 29 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in San Marcos is Injurious to Health.