Avoidable Mortality Burden Attributable to PM2.5 in Madrid (Spain)

The World Health Organization (WHO) established in 2021 an annual health limit of 5 μg/m³ for outdoor PM2.5 concentrations (cPM2.5). Our objective was to evaluate the health impact of cPM2.5 in two locations of a large city during 2023. In the first study (South; more socially vulnerable), the 5 μg/m³ limit was exceeded 70% of the time. Additionally, 26% of the values were above 15 μg/m³. In the second study (Central), this limit (5 μg/m³) was exceeded 99% of the time, and 64% of the values were above 15 μg/m³. Based on data from both locations (1,149,930 inhabitants over the age of 25), annual lung cancer mortality ranged from 23 to 38 cases (6.7%-8.7%), while mortality from non-communicable diseases ranged from 700 to 854 cases (10.7%-12.3%). The avoidable burden of mortality attributable to annual PM2.5 concentrations justifies the urgent need for their drastic reduction as a public health policy.