Breathing in Santa Cruz is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 3.5 million people across 15 districts in Santa Cruz. The average PM2.5 level is 40.8 ”g/m³—8.2× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 3.5 million across 15 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 40.8”g/m³. That's 8.2 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5”g/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 677 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 ”g/m³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If Santa Cruz met the WHO guideline of 5 ”g/m³, the average person would live 3.5 years longer.

That's 12.2M years of life stolen from 3.5 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 Santa Cruz. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Ichilo
    4.2 years lost
  • 2.Sara
    3.8 years lost
  • 3.Obispo SantistĂ©ban
    3.8 years lost
  • 4.Guarayos
    3.8 years lost
  • 5.Warnes
    3.7 years lost
  • 6.AndrĂ©s Ibåñez
    3.6 years lost
  • 7.Ñuflo De ChĂĄvez
    3.3 years lost
  • 8.Velasco
    2.8 years lost
  • 9.Cordillera
    2.8 years lost
  • 10.Florida
    2.8 years lost
Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 ”g/m³—only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 ”g/m³
0%
0
5-10 ”g/m³
0%
0
10-15 ”g/m³
0%
0
15-25 ”g/m³
0%
0
25-35 ”g/m³
14.1%
492K
> 35 ”g/m³
85.9%
3.0M
Districts

All 15 Districts in Santa Cruz

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 ”g/m³Years Lost
Andrés Ibåñez2.2M
41.9
3.6 years
Obispo Santistéban229K
44.0
3.8 years
Warnes163K
42.7
3.7 years
Ñuflo De Chávez143K
38.6
3.3 years
Cordillera142K
33.5
2.8 years
Ichilo113K
48.3
4.2 years
Chiquitos98K
33.4
2.8 years
Velasco91K
33.7
2.8 years
Sara67K
44.0
3.8 years
Guarayos59K
43.6
3.8 years
GermĂĄn Busch51K
26.8
2.1 years
Florida37K
33.5
2.8 years
Manuel MarĂ­a Caballero28K
31.5
2.6 years
Vallegrande26K
26.8
2.1 years
Angel Sandoval18K
27.5
2.2 years

Showing 15 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 ”g/m³.