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.

Colombia's Valle del Cauca Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Valle del Cauca

Valle del Cauca faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 4.7 million across 42 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 14.8µg/m³. That's 3.0 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 246 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 Valle del Cauca met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.97 years longer.

That's 4.6M years of life stolen from 4.7 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 Valle del Cauca. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.El Águila
1.2 years lost
2.El Cairo
1.2 years lost
3.Versalles
1.2 years lost
4.Argelia
1.2 years lost
5.El Dovio
1.2 years lost
6.Sevilla
1.1 years lost
7.Bolívar
1.1 years lost
8.Trujillo
1.1 years lost
9.Vijes
1.1 years lost
10.Riofrío
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

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

69.5%

3.3M

15-25 µg/m³

30.5%

1.4M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 42 Districts in Valle del Cauca

Complete air quality data for every district in Valle del Cauca, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Santiago de Cali	2.4M	14.9	1.0 years
Buenaventura	420K	12.5	0.7 years
Palmira	305K	15.3	1.0 years
Tuluá	217K	15.3	1.0 years
Jamundí	129K	14.6	0.9 years
Cartago	128K	14.6	0.9 years
Yumbo	125K	15.1	1.0 years
Guadalajara de Buga	110K	15.5	1.0 years
Candelaria	86K	14.8	1.0 years
Florida	59K	15.2	1.0 years
El Cerrito	57K	15.6	1.0 years
Pradera	56K	15.4	1.0 years
Zarzal	46K	15.2	1.0 years
Sevilla	42K	16.7	1.1 years
La Unión	40K	15.4	1.0 years
Dagua	36K	14.9	1.0 years
Guacarí	35K	15.5	1.0 years
Roldanillo	31K	15.5	1.0 years
Caicedonia	29K	15.1	1.0 years
Alcalá	23K	14.6	0.9 years
Ginebra	21K	15.8	1.1 years
Bugalagrande	20K	15.5	1.0 years
San Pedro	19K	15.4	1.0 years
Ansermanuevo	18K	15.7	1.1 years
Trujillo	17K	16.2	1.1 years
Andalucía	17K	15.1	1.0 years
Restrepo	16K	15.8	1.1 years
Toro	16K	15.7	1.0 years
Calima	16K	15.7	1.0 years
Yotoco	15K	15.7	1.0 years
Obando	15K	15.0	1.0 years
Riofrío	13K	15.9	1.1 years
La Victoria	12K	15.1	1.0 years
Bolívar	12K	16.6	1.1 years
La Cumbre	11K	15.6	1.0 years
Vijes	11K	16.0	1.1 years
El Águila	11K	17.3	1.2 years
El Cairo	10K	17.3	1.2 years
El Dovio	9K	16.9	1.2 years
Argelia	6K	17.1	1.2 years
Versalles	6K	17.3	1.2 years
Ulloa	5K	14.7	0.9 years

Showing 42 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Valle del Cauca is Injurious to Health.