Breathing in Salta is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 1.5 million people across 23 districts in Salta. The average PM2.5 level is 17.8 µg/m³—3.6× higher than the WHO guideline.

AboutMake Air Quality Great AgainAQLI Data

Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in Salta

Salta faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.5 million across 23 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 17.8µg/m³. That's 3.6 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 295 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 Salta met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.24 years longer.

That's 1.8M years of life stolen from 1.5 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 Salta. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Rivadavia
    1.8 years lost
  • 2.Orán
    1.7 years lost
  • 3.General José de San Martín
    1.6 years lost
  • 4.General Güemes
    1.3 years lost
  • 5.Anta
    1.3 years lost
  • 6.Rosario de la Frontera
    1.2 years lost
  • 7.Metán
    1.2 years lost
  • 8.Capital
    1.1 years lost
  • 9.La Caldera
    1.1 years lost
  • 10.Cerrillos
    1.1 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
0%
0
5-10 µg/m³
1.7%
25K
10-15 µg/m³
7.4%
108K
15-25 µg/m³
90.8%
1.3M
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 23 Districts in Salta

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Capital579K
16.7
1.1 years
General José de San Martín180K
20.9
1.6 years
Orán161K
22.2
1.7 years
La Caldera64K
16.3
1.1 years
Anta63K
17.9
1.3 years
General Güemes60K
18.1
1.3 years
Cerrillos57K
16.2
1.1 years
Rosario de Lerma54K
14.7
1.0 years
Metán50K
17.2
1.2 years
Rivadavia43K
23.3
1.8 years
Rosario de la Frontera35K
17.3
1.2 years
Chicoana25K
15.3
1.0 years
Cafayate17K
13.1
0.8 years
La Viña10K
13.6
0.8 years
San Carlos9K
11.7
0.7 years
Santa Victoria9K
14.1
0.9 years
Los Andes8K
8.2
0.3 years
Molinos8K
8.1
0.3 years
La Candelaria8K
15.4
1.0 years
Cachi7K
9.0
0.4 years
Iruya6K
14.5
0.9 years
Guachipas4K
13.3
0.8 years
La Poma2K
8.9
0.4 years

Showing 23 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.