Most cars run on gasoline. There are all different kinds of gas, though. Some are more harmful than others. Leaded gasoline is especially dangerous. People didn’t know that at first. When experts found out, they worked to ban the gas worldwide. Now, the final country — Algeria — has used up its supply.
On Monday, United Nations (U.N.) leaders announced that the time of leaded gasoline is over. Or, as Secretary-General António Guterres said: “Lead in fuel has run out of gas.”
It was a long road to this moment, though. Researchers started adding tetraethyl lead to gasoline in 1921. The lead made engines perform better. People knew that lead was poisonous. But researchers said the small amounts in gas would not be harmful.
The researchers were wrong.
The lead had an effect on human health, especially for children. It can cause heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. Lead in gasoline can make its way into the air, water, and soil too.
Scientists realized the mistake. But leaded gas was all over the world. People jumped into action. The United States started leaded gas in the 1970s. It made new cars that could run only on unleaded gas. In 1996, the country banned leaded gas for passenger cars. Only planes and certain off-road vehicles could use it. Other countries banned leaded gas too.
The U.N. Environment Program helped other nations make the switch. Finally, Algeria was the last country using leaded gas. The African nation finally ran out in July. Inger Andersen is a leader of the environment group. She called this “a huge .”
The effects of leaded gas won’t disappear right away. Still, the change is a step in the right direction. And Guterres believes people around the world are to thank. “This shows what we can when we work together across countries,” he said.
Guterres called on everyone to keep going: “Let us take inspiration from the end of leaded fuel. Let’s focus all our efforts on making peace with nature. And let’s build a cleaner, greener future for all.”
Updated September 2, 2021, 5:02 P.M. (ET)
By Ashley Morgan
