Abstract
Does this country still use leaded petrol? The answer, perhaps surprisingly, is yes. After all, it is now three decades since leaded petrol was last available to motorists in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ), in line with the worldwide momentum to eliminate the health consequences of using tetraethyl lead to increase the octane of petrol. Yet leaded petrol is still used in NZ in some light aircraft and motor racing.
This Briefing details the potential hazards of continuing with this fuel, including United States (US) evidence for elevated blood lead levels in children living near airports. There seems a strong case for the NZ Government to follow the US in adopting a formal plan to phase-out leaded petrol and replace it with available alternative fuels.