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.

Uruguay's Canelones Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Canelones

Canelones faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 596 thousand across 30 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 8.1µg/m³. That's 1.6 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 134 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 Canelones met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.3 years longer.

That's 179K years of life stolen from 596 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 Canelones. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Paso Carrasco
0.5 years lost
2.Ciudad de la Costa
0.4 years lost
3.Colonia Nicolich
0.4 years lost
4.Salinas
0.3 years lost
5.Barros Blancos
0.3 years lost
6.La Paz
0.3 years lost
7.Pando
0.3 years lost
8.Suárez
0.3 years lost
9.Atlántida
0.3 years lost
10.La Floresta
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%

596K

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 30 Districts in Canelones

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Ciudad de la Costa	95K	9.4	0.4 years
Las Piedras	69K	7.8	0.3 years
Pando	34K	8.1	0.3 years
Paso Carrasco	33K	9.7	0.5 years
Canelones	33K	7.4	0.2 years
Salinas	31K	8.5	0.3 years
La Paz	27K	8.1	0.3 years
Santa Lucía	27K	7.3	0.2 years
18 de Mayo	25K	7.7	0.3 years
La Floresta	25K	7.9	0.3 years
Parque del Plata	21K	7.8	0.3 years
Atlántida	17K	8.0	0.3 years
Progreso	15K	7.6	0.3 years
Tala	15K	7.2	0.2 years
Sauce	15K	7.4	0.2 years
Barros Blancos	14K	8.2	0.3 years
Toledo	11K	7.8	0.3 years
Suárez	11K	8.0	0.3 years
San Jacinto	11K	7.1	0.2 years
San Ramón	10K	7.3	0.2 years
Colonia Nicolich	9K	8.9	0.4 years
Migues	8K	6.9	0.2 years
Soca	8K	6.9	0.2 years
Los Cerrillos	7K	7.5	0.2 years
Santa Rosa	7K	7.2	0.2 years
San Bautista	6K	7.0	0.2 years
Empalme Olmos	6K	7.3	0.2 years
San Antonio	5K	7.1	0.2 years
Montes	3K	6.8	0.2 years
Aguas Corrientes	2K	7.3	0.2 years

Showing 30 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Canelones is Injurious to Health.