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.

Argentina's Santiago del Estero Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Santiago del Estero

Santiago del Estero faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.1 million across 27 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 17.7µg/m³. That's 3.5 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 294 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 Santiago del Estero met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.27 years longer.

That's 1.4M years of life stolen from 1.1 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 Santiago del Estero. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Capital
1.4 years lost
2.Banda
1.4 years lost
3.Rió Hondo
1.3 years lost
4.Copo
1.3 years lost
5.Figueroa
1.3 years lost
6.Pellegrini
1.2 years lost
7.Alberdi
1.2 years lost
8.Loreto
1.2 years lost
9.Sarmiento
1.2 years lost
10.Robles
1.2 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

9.1%

99K

15-25 µg/m³

90.9%

981K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 27 Districts in Santiago del Estero

Complete air quality data for every district in Santiago del Estero, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Capital	261K	19.1	1.4 years
Banda	244K	18.9	1.4 years
Rió Hondo	65K	18.5	1.3 years
Robles	53K	17.0	1.2 years
General Taboada	48K	14.7	1.0 years
Choya	44K	16.0	1.1 years
Moreno	42K	16.1	1.1 years
Copo	38K	18.1	1.3 years
Loreto	25K	17.2	1.2 years
Pellegrini	24K	17.7	1.2 years
Jiménez	23K	16.8	1.2 years
Avellaneda	23K	16.4	1.1 years
Alberdi	23K	17.6	1.2 years
Juan Felipe Ibarra	22K	16.8	1.2 years
Figueroa	22K	17.9	1.3 years
Ojo de Agua	15K	14.7	0.9 years
Guasayán	15K	16.3	1.1 years
Atamisqui	14K	16.7	1.1 years
Salavina	13K	16.6	1.1 years
Quebrachos	11K	14.5	0.9 years
Belgrano	11K	13.3	0.8 years
San Martín	10K	16.5	1.1 years
Aguirre	9K	14.6	0.9 years
Silípica	9K	17.0	1.2 years
Sarmiento	7K	17.1	1.2 years
Rivadavia	5K	12.9	0.8 years
Mitre	2K	15.4	1.0 years

Showing 27 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Santiago del Estero is Injurious to Health.