Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Poland
Poland: Exposure to air pollution from human sources was 14.29 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024. ▼ Falling
Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Poland, 1998–2024
Source: Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in micrograms per cubic meter.
Analysis
The most recent figure for exposure to air pollution from human sources in Poland is 14.29 micrograms per cubic meter, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and down 35.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to air pollution from human sources in Poland peaked at 27.81 micrograms per cubic meter in 2006 and was at its lowest, 13.94 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2023.
That places Poland 98th out of 240 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 27 years of available data.
Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Poland, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 26.68 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1999 | 25.22 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.5% |
| 2000 | 23.58 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.5% |
| 2001 | 25.36 micrograms per cubic meter | +7.5% |
| 2002 | 27.37 micrograms per cubic meter | +7.9% |
| 2003 | 26.29 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.9% |
| 2004 | 24.04 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.6% |
| 2005 | 25.36 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.5% |
| 2006 | 27.81 micrograms per cubic meter | +9.7% |
| 2007 | 21.33 micrograms per cubic meter | -23.3% |
| 2008 | 21.12 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 23.27 micrograms per cubic meter | +10.2% |
| 2010 | 27.15 micrograms per cubic meter | +16.7% |
| 2011 | 25.26 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.0% |
| 2012 | 22.63 micrograms per cubic meter | -10.4% |
| 2013 | 21.46 micrograms per cubic meter | -5.2% |
| 2014 | 22.25 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 20.29 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.8% |
| 2016 | 19.77 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 20.36 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 20.38 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 17.29 micrograms per cubic meter | -15.2% |
| 2020 | 15.58 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.9% |
| 2021 | 17.42 micrograms per cubic meter | +11.8% |
| 2022 | 15.32 micrograms per cubic meter | -12.1% |
| 2023 | 13.94 micrograms per cubic meter | -9.0% |
| 2024 | 14.29 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.5% |
Poland compared with similar countries
- Poland's 14.29 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.08 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.8× the median. (83 countries reporting)
- Poland's 14.29 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.25 micrograms per cubic meter, 1.3× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 25.95 micrograms per cubic meter | 25.22 micrograms per cubic meter | 26.68 micrograms per cubic meter | 2 |
| 2000s | 24.55 micrograms per cubic meter | 21.12 micrograms per cubic meter | 27.81 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.68 micrograms per cubic meter | 17.29 micrograms per cubic meter | 27.15 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.31 micrograms per cubic meter | 13.94 micrograms per cubic meter | 17.42 micrograms per cubic meter | 5 |
Countries ranked near Poland
- 95 Sierra Leone 14.74 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 96 Mozambique 14.54 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 97 Namibia 14.53 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 99 Cyprus 14.1 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 100 Albania 13.99 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 101 Malaysia 13.92 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for Poland
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.777 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.06 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.73 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.1029 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -4.67 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exposure to air pollution from human sources in Poland?
- Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Poland was 14.29 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024, according to Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in Poland?
- The highest recorded value was 27.81 micrograms per cubic meter in 2006.
- What is the lowest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in Poland?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.94 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
- How does Poland rank for exposure to air pollution from human sources?
- Poland ranks 98th out of 240 countries with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to air pollution from human sources rising or falling in Poland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Poland data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Exposure to air pollution from human sources. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual population-weighted average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air, measured in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, which can pose significant health risks. This data excludes natural sources of PM2.5, such as dust and sea salt, to focus on human-caused pollution.