Breathing in Guayas is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 4.5 million people across 25 districts in Guayas. The average PM2.5 level is 19.5 µg/m³—3.9× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in Guayas

Guayas faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 4.5 million across 25 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 19.5µg/m³. That's 3.9 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 324 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 Guayas met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.41 years longer.

That's 6.4M years of life stolen from 4.5 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 Guayas. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Milagro
    1.5 years lost
  • 2.Naranjito
    1.5 years lost
  • 3.El Empalme
    1.5 years lost
  • 4.Alfredo Baquerizo Moreno
    1.5 years lost
  • 5.Simon Bolivar
    1.5 years lost
  • 6.Coronel Marcelino Maridueña
    1.5 years lost
  • 7.San Jacinto de Yaguachi
    1.5 years lost
  • 8.General Antonio Elizalde
    1.5 years lost
  • 9.El Triunfo
    1.5 years lost
  • 10.Naranjal
    1.5 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
0%
0
10-15 µg/m³
0%
0
15-25 µg/m³
100%
4.5M
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 25 Districts in Guayas

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

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Guayaquil2.9M
19.5
1.4 years
Durán313K
19.6
1.4 years
Milagro207K
20.6
1.5 years
Daule175K
18.9
1.4 years
Samborondón88K
19.5
1.4 years
El Empalme88K
20.4
1.5 years
Naranjal87K
19.8
1.5 years
San Jacinto de Yaguachi81K
20.3
1.5 years
Urbina Jado70K
19.1
1.4 years
Balzar65K
19.6
1.4 years
El Triunfo59K
19.9
1.5 years
Playas57K
17.0
1.2 years
Pedro Carbo54K
17.5
1.2 years
Santa Lucia48K
18.3
1.3 years
Naranjito47K
20.4
1.5 years
Alfredo Baquerizo Moreno33K
20.3
1.5 years
Simon Bolivar33K
20.3
1.5 years
Colimes28K
18.2
1.3 years
Balao26K
19.7
1.4 years
Nobol26K
19.0
1.4 years
Lomas de Sargentillo24K
18.4
1.3 years
Palestina19K
18.7
1.3 years
Isidro Ayora15K
18.5
1.3 years
Coronel Marcelino Maridueña14K
20.3
1.5 years
General Antonio Elizalde13K
20.1
1.5 years

Showing 25 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.