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 East Berbice-Corentyne Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in East Berbice-Corentyne

East Berbice-Corentyne faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 97 thousand across 21 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 East Berbice-Corentyne met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.28 years longer.

That's 27K years of life stolen from 97 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 East Berbice-Corentyne. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.East Bank Berbice
0.5 years lost
2.Rose Hall
0.3 years lost
3.Hampshire / Kilcoy
0.3 years lost
4.John / Port Mourant
0.3 years lost
5.Jackson Creek / Crabwood Creek
0.3 years lost
6.Corentyne River
0.3 years lost
7.New Amsterdam
0.3 years lost
8.Tarlogie / Maida
0.3 years lost
9.Fyrish / Gibraltar
0.3 years lost
10.Cane Field / Enterprise
0.3 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

99.8%

96K

10-15 µg/m³

0.2%

182

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 21 Districts in East Berbice-Corentyne

Complete air quality data for every district in East Berbice-Corentyne, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Corentyne River	20K	7.9	0.3 years
New Amsterdam	15K	7.9	0.3 years
John / Port Mourant	8K	8.1	0.3 years
No.74 Village / No.52 Village	6K	5.6	0.1 years
No. 38 / Ordnance Fortlands	6K	7.8	0.3 years
Jackson Creek / Crabwood Creek	5K	8.0	0.3 years
Black Bush Polder land Developme	5K	7.6	0.3 years
Enfield / New Doe Park	4K	7.6	0.3 years
Hogstye / Lancaster	4K	7.7	0.3 years
Rose Hall	4K	8.2	0.3 years
Fyrish / Gibraltar	3K	7.8	0.3 years
Whim / Bloomfield	3K	7.7	0.3 years
Bush Lot / Adventure	3K	7.7	0.3 years
Joppa / Macedonia	3K	7.6	0.3 years
No.51 Village / Good Hope	3K	7.4	0.2 years
Hampshire / Kilcoy	2K	8.1	0.3 years
Tarlogie / Maida	1K	7.8	0.3 years
Borlam ( No.37 ) / Kintyre	1K	7.7	0.3 years
Cane Field / Enterprise	239	7.8	0.3 years
East Bank Berbice	182	10.3	0.5 years
Corriverton	8	6.6	0.2 years

Showing 21 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in East Berbice-Corentyne is Injurious to Health.