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.

Paraguay's Paraguarí Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Paraguarí

Paraguarí faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 270 thousand across 17 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 16µg/m³. That's 3.2 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 265 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 Paraguarí met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.08 years longer.

That's 291K years of life stolen from 270 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 Paraguarí. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Ybytimí
1.1 years lost
2.Pirayú
1.1 years lost
3.Tebicuarymí
1.1 years lost
4.Escobar
1.1 years lost
5.Sapucaí
1.1 years lost
6.Carapeguá
1.1 years lost
7.Mbuyapey
1.1 years lost
8.General Bernardino Caballero
1.1 years lost
9.Paraguarí
1.1 years lost
10.Yaguarón
1.1 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

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

100%

270K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 17 Districts in Paraguarí

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Carapeguá	38K	16.2	1.1 years
Yaguarón	34K	16.0	1.1 years
Ybycui	26K	15.6	1.0 years
Paraguarí	26K	16.0	1.1 years
Quiíndy	22K	15.7	1.0 years
Pirayú	19K	16.4	1.1 years
Acahay	17K	15.8	1.1 years
Mbuyapey	15K	16.2	1.1 years
Escobar	12K	16.3	1.1 years
San Roque González de Santa Cruz	11K	15.5	1.0 years
Caapucú	8K	15.9	1.1 years
Ybytimí	8K	16.6	1.1 years
General Bernardino Caballero	7K	16.1	1.1 years
Quyquyhó	7K	15.9	1.1 years
Sapucaí	7K	16.2	1.1 years
La Colmena	6K	15.7	1.0 years
Tebicuarymí	6K	16.4	1.1 years

Showing 17 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Paraguarí is Injurious to Health.