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.

Peru's Ancash Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Ancash

Ancash faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.2 million across 20 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 23.9µg/m³. That's 4.8 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 397 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 Ancash met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.83 years longer.

That's 2.2M years of life stolen from 1.2 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 Ancash. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Santa
2.1 years lost
2.Casma
2 years lost
3.Ocros
2 years lost
4.Huarmey
1.8 years lost
5.Bolognesi
1.8 years lost
6.Recuay
1.7 years lost
7.Carhuaz
1.7 years lost
8.Huaraz
1.7 years lost
9.Aija
1.6 years lost
10.Yungay
1.6 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

54.7%

651K

25-35 µg/m³

45.3%

540K

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 20 Districts in Ancash

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Santa	476K	26.8	2.1 years
Huaraz	181K	22.3	1.7 years
Huari	65K	21.5	1.6 years
Huaylas	57K	21.0	1.6 years
Yungay	56K	21.6	1.6 years
Casma	56K	25.8	2.0 years
Carhuaz	50K	22.3	1.7 years
Huarmey	33K	23.9	1.8 years
Sihuas	30K	18.8	1.4 years
Pomabamba	27K	19.4	1.4 years
Bolognesi	26K	23.4	1.8 years
Pallasca	26K	19.1	1.4 years
Mariscal Luzuriaga	22K	20.4	1.5 years
Carlos Fermin Fitzcarrald	20K	20.9	1.6 years
Recuay	19K	22.6	1.7 years
Antonio Raymondi	15K	20.9	1.6 years
Corongo	8K	19.6	1.4 years
Asunción	8K	21.4	1.6 years
Ocros	8K	25.4	2.0 years
Aija	7K	21.7	1.6 years

Showing 20 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Ancash is Injurious to Health.