Letter Re: Rotterdam Convention website info about Tetraethyl lead

by Elizabeth O’Brien Manager, Global Lead Advice and Support Service (GLASS), Sydney, Australia.

From: The LEAD Group
Sent: dimanche, 12. février 2012 09:10
To: Leslie Angeles
Subject: Rotterdam Convention website: DGD for Tetraethyl lead (TEL) and Tetramethyl lead (TML)

Dear Leslie /The Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention,

The DGD for Tetraethyl lead (TEL) and Tetramethyl lead (TML) at http://www.pic.int/Portals/5/DGDs/DGD_TEL-TML_EN.pdf is undated (can you please send me the publication date?) but looks to be around 10 years old and includes some references going back to the nineteen seventies, for which there are very likely more up-to-date references to choose from if the document was replaced.

Significantly, Canada no longer manufactures TEL or TML but China claims a capability, even though Innospec in the UK, still claims on its website:” Our Octane Additives business is the world's only manufacturer of tetra ethyl lead (TEL).” URL: http://www.innospecinc.com/octane-additives.html Accessed 10 Feb 2012. Please see the attached: (Chinese Possible Suppliers of TEL Contact Details 20120209.doc)

With nearly all the country/region-specific information in the DGD being from Canada (even though the EC was also a notifying party), I request that you ask the current governments which seem to be allowing the export of TEL – United Kingdom and China – to submit material for a new DGD.

It also seems far more relevant for the socio-economic impacts of the Annex III chemical in the IMPORTING countries to be analysed, rather than just the EXPORTING countries. And wouldn’t it be a good idea for the DGD to be web-published by you in the languages of the importing countries, not just English, French and Spanish? Couldn’t you at least ask the manufacturing country governments to pay for the translation? And then web-publish the DGDs in other languages, if they are provided to you?

By leaving this incredibly out-dated and largely irrelevant (i.e. the info about Canada) information in only three languages on your website, it is easy to see why a handful of governments have not followed every OECD country and most parties to the Rotterdam Convention in eliminating leaded gasoline in their countries.

Are you able to assist the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV) of UNEP in its primary goal of global elimination of leaded petrol by replacing this DGD with more convincing information as to the excellent reasons why nearly every other country has already gone leaded petrol-free?

Yours Sincerely
Elizabeth O'Brien
Winner of the United Nations Assoc'n of Australia (UNAA) World Environment Day (WED) Award for Outstanding Service to the Environment,

Partner, Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles of UNEP.
Manager, Global Lead Advice & Support Service (GLASS) run by The LEAD Group Inc.
PO Box 161 Summer Hill NSW 2130 Australia
Ph +61 2 9716 0132 Freecall 1800 626086
www.lead.org.au
We lead the way | We educate | We advocate | We'll work until the world's lead-safe

If you would like to help us eliminate leaded petrol globally (our top priority), please read our appeal for your support at www.lead.org.au and please donate to the Lead Education and Abatement Fund via http://www.leadsafeworld.com/donations