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> How did the US get this so wrong for so long? [..] For the next four decades, all studies of the use of tetraethyl lead were conducted by laboratories and sci

> How did the US get this so wrong for so long? [..] For the next four decades, all studies of the use of tetraethyl lead were conducted by laboratories and scientists funded by the Ethyl Corporation and General Motors The BBC is British - what about the UK? The rest of Europe? China? Japan? Russia? Australia? Did the entire rest of the world also use leaded petrol? And stopped using it at the same time as the US?

jackvalentine 10mo ago
> The BBC is British - what about the UK? The rest of Europe? China? Japan? Russia? Australia? Did the entire rest of the world also use leaded petrol? And stopped using it at the same time as the US? More or less. https://ourworldindata.org/data-insights/every-country-has-now-banned-the-use-of-leaded-gasoline-in-cars https://ourworldindata.org/data-insights/every-country-has-n...
- TylerE 10mo ago
  In cars, yes. In the aviation world the fuel is very much still leaded.
  - _zagj 10mo ago
    > In the aviation world the fuel is very much still leaded. In the general aviation world, to be precise: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/leaded-gas-was-phased-out-25-years-ago-why-are-n1264970 https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/leaded-gas-wa... The fact that GA is the quintessential arrogant rich man's hobby makes the environmental and human health externalities of it all the more disgusting. However, looking at it from a glass half full perspective, GA does exist at that sweet avocational intersection of "expensive" and "deadly," often putting a significant dent in the finances of those whom it seduces before killing them.
extraduder_ire 10mo ago
I was pretty surprised to learn the US totally banned it for cars about 5 years before the UK/EU.
- kergonath 10mo ago
  For context, the EU is a big place. You need every 27 countries to agree to get anything done, or a big push from the parliament. When it comes to environment regulations, EU regulations are pretty much the common denominator. The fact that this is still more stringent than the UK’s regulations says more about the UK than it does about the EU, unfortunately.

jackvalentine 10mo ago

> The BBC is British - what about the UK? The rest of Europe? China? Japan? Russia? Australia? Did the entire rest of the world also use leaded petrol? And stopped using it at the same time as the US? More or less. https://ourworldindata.org/data-insights/every-country-has-now-banned-the-use-of-leaded-gasoline-in-cars https://ourworldindata.org/data-insights/every-country-has-n...

TylerE 10mo ago
In cars, yes. In the aviation world the fuel is very much still leaded.
- _zagj 10mo ago
  > In the aviation world the fuel is very much still leaded. In the general aviation world, to be precise: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/leaded-gas-was-phased-out-25-years-ago-why-are-n1264970 https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/leaded-gas-wa... The fact that GA is the quintessential arrogant rich man's hobby makes the environmental and human health externalities of it all the more disgusting. However, looking at it from a glass half full perspective, GA does exist at that sweet avocational intersection of "expensive" and "deadly," often putting a significant dent in the finances of those whom it seduces before killing them.

extraduder_ire 10mo ago

I was pretty surprised to learn the US totally banned it for cars about 5 years before the UK/EU.

kergonath 10mo ago
For context, the EU is a big place. You need every 27 countries to agree to get anything done, or a big push from the parliament. When it comes to environment regulations, EU regulations are pretty much the common denominator. The fact that this is still more stringent than the UK’s regulations says more about the UK than it does about the EU, unfortunately.