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 Essequibo Islands-West Demerara Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Essequibo Islands-West Demerara

Essequibo Islands-West Demerara faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 94 thousand across 19 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 7.6µg/m³. That's 1.5 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 126 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 Essequibo Islands-West Demerara met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.26 years longer.

That's 24K years of life stolen from 94 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 Essequibo Islands-West Demerara. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Vergenoegen / Greenwich Park
0.3 years lost
2.Canals Polder
0.3 years lost
3.Bonasika / Boerasirie
0.3 years lost
4.Good Hope / Hydronie
0.3 years lost
5.Nismes / La Grange
0.3 years lost
6.Uitvlugt / Tuschen
0.3 years lost
7.Canal No. 2 (part) + The Belle +
0.3 years lost
8.Meer Zorgen / Malgre Tout
0.3 years lost
9.Amsterdam (Demerara River) / Vri
0.3 years lost
10.Patentia / Toevlugt
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

100%

94K

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 19 Districts in Essequibo Islands-West Demerara

Complete air quality data for every district in Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Uitvlugt / Tuschen	18K	7.9	0.3 years
Meer Zorgen / Malgre Tout	10K	7.8	0.3 years
Cornelia Ida / Stewartville	9K	7.0	0.2 years
Klein Pouderoyen / Best	7K	7.2	0.2 years
Patentia / Toevlugt	6K	7.6	0.3 years
Nismes / La Grange	6K	7.9	0.3 years
Canals Polder	5K	8.0	0.3 years
Parika / Mora	4K	7.3	0.2 years
Vergenoegen / Greenwich Park	4K	8.1	0.3 years
Canal No. 2 (part) + The Belle +	4K	7.8	0.3 years
Nouvelle Flanders / La Jalousie	3K	7.6	0.3 years
Amsterdam (Demerara River) / Vri	3K	7.8	0.3 years
Blankenburg / Hague	3K	6.8	0.2 years
Wakenaam (Essequibo Islands)	3K	6.3	0.1 years
Bonasika / Boerasirie	3K	8.0	0.3 years
Leguan (Essequibo Islands )	2K	6.9	0.2 years
Sparta / Bonasika and Rest of Es	2K	7.3	0.2 years
Good Hope / Hydronie	898	7.9	0.3 years
Lower West Demerara	350	7.2	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 Essequibo Islands-West Demerara is Injurious to Health.