United States - Particle pollution

PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure (micrograms per cubic meter)

The value for PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure (micrograms per cubic meter) in United States was 7.41 as of 2017. As the graph below shows, over the past 27 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 9.74 in 2011 and a minimum value of 7.41 in 2016.

Definition: Population-weighted exposure to ambient PM2.5 pollution is defined as the average level of exposure of a nation's population to concentrations of suspended particles measuring less than 2.5 microns in aerodynamic diameter, which are capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory tract and causing severe health damage. Exposure is calculated by weighting mean annual concentrations of PM2.5 by population in both urban and rural areas.

Source: Brauer, M. et al. 2017, for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

See also:

Year Value
1990 9.70
1995 9.57
2000 9.53
2005 9.61
2010 9.36
2011 9.74
2012 9.00
2013 8.73
2014 8.22
2015 8.06
2016 7.41
2017 7.41

PM2.5 pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO Interim Target-1 value (% of total)

PM2.5 pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO Interim Target-1 value (% of total) in United States was 0.016 as of 2017. Its highest value over the past 27 years was 0.054 in 2013, while its lowest value was 0.002 in 1990.

Definition: Percent of population exposed to ambient concentrations of PM2.5 that exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) Interim Target 1 (IT-1) is defined as the portion of a country’s population living in places where mean annual concentrations of PM2.5 are greater than 35 micrograms per cubic meter. The Air Quality Guideline (AQG) of 10 micrograms per cubic meter is recommended by the WHO as the lower end of the range of concentrations over which adverse health effects due to PM2.5 exposure have been observed.

Source: Brauer, M. et al. 2017, for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

See also:

Year Value
1990 0.002
1995 0.002
2000 0.048
2005 0.050
2010 0.053
2011 0.053
2012 0.053
2013 0.054
2014 0.016
2015 0.052
2016 0.016
2017 0.016

PM2.5 pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO Interim Target-2 value (% of total)

PM2.5 pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO Interim Target-2 value (% of total) in United States was 0.055 as of 2017. Its highest value over the past 27 years was 0.187 in 2012, while its lowest value was 0.035 in 1990.

Definition: Percent of population exposed to ambient concentrations of PM2.5 that exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) Interim Target 2 (IT-2) is defined as the portion of a country’s population living in places where mean annual concentrations of PM2.5 are greater than 25 micrograms per cubic meter. The Air Quality Guideline (AQG) of 10 micrograms per cubic meter is recommended by the WHO as the lower end of the range of concentrations over which adverse health effects due to PM2.5 exposure have been observed.

Source: Brauer, M. et al. 2017, for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

See also:

Year Value
1990 0.035
1995 0.035
2000 0.178
2005 0.181
2010 0.185
2011 0.187
2012 0.187
2013 0.170
2014 0.121
2015 0.105
2016 0.055
2017 0.055

PM2.5 pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO Interim Target-3 value (% of total)

PM2.5 pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO Interim Target-3 value (% of total) in United States was 0.277 as of 2017. Its highest value over the past 27 years was 0.511 in 2011, while its lowest value was 0.277 in 2016.

Definition: Percent of population exposed to ambient concentrations of PM2.5 that exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) Interim Target 3 (IT-3) is defined as the portion of a country’s population living in places where mean annual concentrations of PM2.5 are greater than 15 micrograms per cubic meter. The Air Quality Guideline (AQG) of 10 micrograms per cubic meter is recommended by the WHO as the lower end of the range of concentrations over which adverse health effects due to PM2.5 exposure have been observed.

Source: Brauer, M. et al. 2017, for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

See also:

Year Value
1990 0.436
1995 0.408
2000 0.470
2005 0.486
2010 0.480
2011 0.511
2012 0.460
2013 0.438
2014 0.345
2015 0.357
2016 0.277
2017 0.277

PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO guideline value (% of total)

PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO guideline value (% of total) in United States was 3.34 as of 2017. Its highest value over the past 27 years was 48.00 in 1990, while its lowest value was 3.33 in 2016.

Definition: Percent of population exposed to ambient concentrations of PM2.5 that exceed the WHO guideline value is defined as the portion of a country’s population living in places where mean annual concentrations of PM2.5 are greater than 10 micrograms per cubic meter, the guideline value recommended by the World Health Organization as the lower end of the range of concentrations over which adverse health effects due to PM2.5 exposure have been observed.

Source: Brauer, M. et al. 2017, for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

See also:

Year Value
1990 48.00
1995 44.69
2000 43.08
2005 44.22
2010 38.21
2011 46.69
2012 28.66
2013 20.84
2014 11.73
2015 8.47
2016 3.33
2017 3.34

Classification

Topic: Environment Indicators

Sub-Topic: Emissions