5 ms·

In what sense does it contribute? Yes, putting any amount of lead into the atmosphere is bad, but it isn't so bad if it is so dilute that it is basically backgr

In what sense does it contribute? Yes, putting any amount of lead into the atmosphere is bad, but it isn't so bad if it is so dilute that it is basically background levels. I'd imagine low quality lead pipes, and fruit juice, are a much bigger cause of high lead levels than small plane engines.

klyrs 4y ago
As somebody who grew up living under the flightpath of a busy airport and always appreciated the variety of small craft flying overhead, I happen to think that this is a pretty big deal. About two blocks away from my house was what we called "the ghetto." The correlation among lead, poverty, violence, and racialized populations is a major character in the story of american politics.
- oh_sigh 4y ago
  Have you had your blood lead levels checked? Are they elevated?
  - klyrs 4y ago
    The half-life of bloodborne lead is about 28 days (according to first google hit) and I moved out many years ago; I think I'd need a bone sample or something to find a signal.
- briandear 4y ago
  Can you prove the lead is from the airplanes? Land near airports was historically cheaper so the correlation isn’t causative.
  - klyrs 4y ago
    Must I prove that 100% of the problem is lead from airplanes in every single neighborhood-by-airport before I'm allowed to express concern? Can you prove that avgas is not a significant contributor to lead accumulation in the soil of these neighborhoods?
stefan_ 4y ago
There is no safe limit for lead other than zero, and there is no reason for these planes to continue using lead other than it being an externality.
- briandear 4y ago
  Nonsense. Urine isn’t good for drinking water, but pissing in a reservoir has no effect. Why don’t aircraft pilots and mechanics have cognitive issues since they are exposed to a lot more AvGas fumes than the average person?
  - krageon 4y ago
    We can try this, I will piss in your reservoir and you drink it. Clearly there was some effect.
  - munk-a 4y ago
    For one thing Urine isn't a heavy metal that accumulates cumulatively in your bones - that analogy is just awful. I don't think you can definitively state that aircraft pilots aren't having health issues due to AvGas exposure, I can't really find any studies about it but one of the more common health side effects of lead exposure is actually a predisposition to heart attacks due to how lead messes with your blood streams.

klyrs 4y ago

As somebody who grew up living under the flightpath of a busy airport and always appreciated the variety of small craft flying overhead, I happen to think that this is a pretty big deal. About two blocks away from my house was what we called "the ghetto." The correlation among lead, poverty, violence, and racialized populations is a major character in the story of american politics.

oh_sigh 4y ago
Have you had your blood lead levels checked? Are they elevated?
- klyrs 4y ago
  The half-life of bloodborne lead is about 28 days (according to first google hit) and I moved out many years ago; I think I'd need a bone sample or something to find a signal.
briandear 4y ago
Can you prove the lead is from the airplanes? Land near airports was historically cheaper so the correlation isn’t causative.
- klyrs 4y ago
  Must I prove that 100% of the problem is lead from airplanes in every single neighborhood-by-airport before I'm allowed to express concern? Can you prove that avgas is not a significant contributor to lead accumulation in the soil of these neighborhoods?

stefan_ 4y ago

There is no safe limit for lead other than zero, and there is no reason for these planes to continue using lead other than it being an externality.

briandear 4y ago
Nonsense. Urine isn’t good for drinking water, but pissing in a reservoir has no effect. Why don’t aircraft pilots and mechanics have cognitive issues since they are exposed to a lot more AvGas fumes than the average person?
- krageon 4y ago
  We can try this, I will piss in your reservoir and you drink it. Clearly there was some effect.
- munk-a 4y ago
  For one thing Urine isn't a heavy metal that accumulates cumulatively in your bones - that analogy is just awful. I don't think you can definitively state that aircraft pilots aren't having health issues due to AvGas exposure, I can't really find any studies about it but one of the more common health side effects of lead exposure is actually a predisposition to heart attacks due to how lead messes with your blood streams.