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August 31,2021

Anna Murray 

Leaded gasoline was phased out globally in 2021 after contaminating the air, dust, soil, drinking water, and food crops for several decades. Service stations in Algeria stopped selling it in July. On August 30, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that the global phase-out of leaded fuel is a watershed moment for multilateralism, thanks to the collaboration of developing-country governments, thousands of businesses, and millions of ordinary people. On August 30, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) declared the end of leaded fuel use to be a pivotal moment.

Since 1922, the use of tetraethyllead as a gasoline additive to improve engine performance has been disastrous for the environment and public health. By the 1970s, nearly all gasoline produced around the world contained lead. Heart disease, stroke, and cancer have all been linked to the use of leaded gasoline. It also has an effect on brain development, particularly in children, with studies indicating a 5-10 point drop in IQ. It is estimated that the use of leaded gasoline costs more than 1.2 million lives each year.

The UNEP launched its global Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV) campaign to eliminate lead from gasoline in 2002. This pattern has been in place for nearly two decades. According to UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen, the successful implementation of the leaded gasoline ban is a huge milestone for global health and the environment, overcoming a century of deaths and illnesses that affected hundreds of millions and degraded the environment globally. He also stated that the world is fired up to change humanity's course for the better by hastening the transition to clean vehicles and electric mobility.