The United States banned leaded gasoline for cars long ago, but smaller aircraft continue to use the fuel — and it’s exposing hundreds of thousands of children to lead poisoning. POLITICO’s E&E News reporter Ariel Wittenberg dug into the issue in an investigation this week. She found that fuel producers such as Chevron and Exxon Mobil have repeatedly blocked efforts to create unleaded fuels for small aircraft. That has led to massive health consequences for children who live below the flight path of these small airplanes. Toddlers in California's East San Jose have concentrations of lead in their blood on par with children tested at the height of the drinking water crisis in Flint, Mich. In an interview with Power Switch this morning, Ariel breaks down the public health crisis and why, after 30 years, it has not been addressed. What surprised you the most in reporting this story? Everyone from the [Federal Aviation Administration] to the oil industry to the aviation industry has spent the past 30 years pursuing a silver-bullet solution to this problem. What surprised me most is that search has, essentially, been a mirage. Yes, there are many planes that need 100 octane. But 70 percent of the general aviation fleet could fly on a lower-octane fuel. But the aviation and fuel industry has blocked multiple alternative fuels over the past 30 years. What are the advantages and pitfalls of having producers like Chevron and Exxon sit on the committee that could have approved a less heavily leaded fuel? The people who make aviation fuel know how to make aviation fuel. It’s a niche market, so the producers are also the best subject-matter experts. The problem, however, is that the [committee] that approves these fuels runs on consensus. The same producers that have a vested financial interest in keeping lead in aviation fuel also have immense power to block any unleaded competition from coming to market. What is the extent of the health-related damage? There are 5.2 million people that live within 500 meters of an airport runway, and 363,000 of them are children under five. Research has shown that living that close to a general aviation airport can increase levels of lead in kids’ blood. Lead is a neurotoxin that impairs cognitive development and is linked to lower IQ, so any exposure to it can be incredibly damaging. Communities are demanding the government take action. When can we realistically expect the problem to be resolved? It's hard to say when this will all be resolved. If EPA does move to totally ban lead in aviation fuel, it could be years before such a measure would take effect. The FAA has an initiative in coordination with the aviation and fuel industries to find a high-octane unleaded fuel, with the goal of one being widely available by 2030. But similar initiatives have existed over the past decade, and all of them have blown through their deadlines. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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