Air pollution threatens the health of 507 thousand people across 8 districts in Cotopaxi. The average PM2.5 level is 16.2 ”g/mÂłâ3.2Ă higher than the WHO guideline.
Brought to you by Amrit Sharma
Cotopaxi faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 507 thousand across 8 districts at risk.
The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 16.2”g/m³. That's 3.2 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5”g/m³.
This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 269 cigarettes in a year.
If Cotopaxi met the WHO guideline of 5 ”g/m³, the average person would live 1.12 years longer.
That's 568K years of life stolen from 507 thousand people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.
Lives cut short. Breathing kills.
The top 8 most polluted districts in Cotopaxi. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.
Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 ”g/mÂłâonly populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.
Complete air quality data for every district in Cotopaxi, sorted by population.
| District | Population | PM2.5 ”g/m³ | Years Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latacunga | 217K | 14.8 | 1.0 years |
| PujilĂ | 83K | 15.6 | 1.0 years |
| Salcedo | 71K | 14.8 | 1.0 years |
| La ManĂĄ | 56K | 21.9 | 1.7 years |
| SaquisilĂ | 27K | 14.9 | 1.0 years |
| Pangua | 26K | 21.2 | 1.6 years |
| Sigchos | 26K | 17.5 | 1.2 years |
| Saquisili | 1K | 14.9 | 1.0 years |
Showing 8 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 ”g/m³.