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.

Guyana's Demerara-Mahaica Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Demerara-Mahaica

Demerara-Mahaica faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 336 thousand across 19 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 7.7µg/m³. That's 1.5 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 128 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 Demerara-Mahaica met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.27 years longer.

That's 91K years of life stolen from 336 thousand 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 Demerara-Mahaica. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Soesdyke-Linden highway (includi
0.3 years lost
2.St. Cuthberts / Orange Nassau (M
0.3 years lost
3.Plaisance / Industry
0.3 years lost
4.Te Huist Coverden / Soesdyke
0.3 years lost
5.La Bonne Intention / Better Hope
0.3 years lost
6.City of Georgetown
0.3 years lost
7.Eccles / Ramsburg
0.3 years lost
8.Triumph / Beterverwagting
0.3 years lost
9.Good Success / Caledonia
0.3 years lost
10.La Reconnaissance / Mon Repos
0.2 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

100%

336K

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 19 Districts in Demerara-Mahaica

Complete air quality data for every district in Demerara-Mahaica, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
City of Georgetown	129K	7.8	0.3 years
Foulis / Buxton	33K	7.3	0.2 years
Soesdyke-Linden highway (includi	22K	8.2	0.3 years
La Reconnaissance / Mon Repos	19K	7.5	0.2 years
Diamond / Golden Grove	19K	7.5	0.2 years
Grove / Haslington	16K	7.1	0.2 years
Good Success / Caledonia	16K	7.6	0.3 years
Eccles / Ramsburg	15K	7.8	0.3 years
La Bonne Intention / Better Hope	15K	8.0	0.3 years
Plaisance / Industry	9K	8.2	0.3 years
Vereeniging / Unity	8K	7.3	0.2 years
Herstelling / Little Diamond	8K	7.5	0.2 years
Te Huist Coverden / Soesdyke	6K	8.0	0.3 years
Cane Grove Land Development Sche	6K	7.3	0.2 years
Enmore / Hope	6K	7.2	0.2 years
Triumph / Beterverwagting	3K	7.6	0.3 years
St. Cuthberts / Orange Nassau (M	3K	8.2	0.3 years
Mocha / Arcadia	2K	7.3	0.2 years
Demerara Conservancy	68	7.3	0.2 years

Showing 19 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Demerara-Mahaica is Injurious to Health.