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.

Australia's South Australia Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in South Australia

South Australia faces significant air pollution challenges. 0% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.8 million across 71 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 2.3µg/m³. That's 0.5 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 38 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 South Australia met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0 years longer.

That's 0 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 South Australia. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Holdfast Bay
0 years lost
2.Adelaide
0 years lost
3.Salisbury
0 years lost
4.Charles Sturt
0 years lost
5.Marion
0 years lost
6.Port Adelaide Enfield
0 years lost
7.Burnside
0 years lost
8.Unley
0 years lost
9.West Torrens
0 years lost
10.Mitcham
0 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

100%

1.8M

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 71 Districts in South Australia

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³
Onkaparinga	182K	2.5
Salisbury	152K	2.6
Port Adelaide Enfield	136K	2.5
Charles Sturt	122K	2.5
Tea Tree Gully	106K	2.3
Playford	103K	2.4
Marion	98K	2.5
Mitcham	71K	2.5
West Torrens	64K	2.5
Campbelltown	57K	2.4
Burnside	48K	2.5
Adelaide Hills	43K	2.1
Mount Barker	41K	2.0
Unley	40K	2.5
Norwood Payneham St Peters	39K	2.4
Holdfast Bay	38K	2.6
Alexandrina	30K	2.1
Mount Gambier	28K	1.4
Barossa	26K	2.0
Adelaide	26K	2.6
Gawler	25K	2.3
Prospect	23K	2.4
Murray Bridge	23K	2.1
Whyalla	21K	2.2
Port Pirie City and Dists	18K	2.4
Light	17K	2.2
Victor Harbor	17K	2.0
Copper Coast	15K	2.2
Port Lincoln	14K	1.9
Port Augusta	14K	2.0
Wattle Range	12K	1.5
Loxton Waikerie	12K	2.0
Yorke Peninsula	11K	2.1
Berri and Barmera	11K	2.0
Renmark Paringa	10K	2.1
Mallala	10K	2.1
Clare and Gilbert Valleys	10K	2.2
Mid Murray	10K	2.0
Naracoorte and Lucindale	9K	1.7
Grant	9K	1.4
Walkerville	8K	2.4
Tatiara	7K	2.0
Wakefield	7K	2.1
Lower Eyre Peninsula	6K	1.7
Yankalilla	6K	2.0
The Coorong	6K	2.0
Northern Areas	5K	2.3
Kangaroo Island	5K	1.7
Unincorporated South Australia	4K	1.7
Goyder	4K	2.0
Roxby Downs	4K	1.6
Ceduna	3K	1.3
Mount Remarkable	3K	2.1
Tumby Bay	3K	1.7
Barunga West	2K	2.1
Anangu Pitjantjatjara	2K	1.4
Kingston	2K	1.9
Southern Mallee	2K	2.1
Streaky Bay	2K	1.4
Flinders Ranges	2K	1.7
Peterborough	2K	1.8
Coober Pedy	2K	1.5
Cleve	2K	1.7
Franklin Harbour	2K	1.7
Robe	2K	1.8
Wudinna	1K	1.6
Kimba	1K	1.8
Karoonda East Murray	1K	2.0
Elliston	1K	1.6
Orroroo/Carrieton	912	1.9
Maralinga Tjarutja	53	1.0

Showing 71 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in South Australia is Injurious to Health.