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Compelling arguments showing the need for action on
lead
by Cameron Plummer
Did you know that:
- Lead is a potent toxin that affects virtually
every system in the body.
- Impaired cognitive development and abnormal
behaviour in preschool and school children (hyperactivity,
distractibility, impulsivity, disorganisation, non-persistence,
inability to follow simple instructions and overall poor functioning)
have been observed at blood lead levels below 25 µg/dL (micrograms per
decilitre). There is no obvious threshold below which no effects
have been seen.
- Detrimental effects of low blood lead levels (« 25
µg/dL) in infancy on cognitive development are probably permanent.
- The National Health & Medical Research
Council (NHMRC) recognises that there are no benefits of human exposure
to lead, and that all demonstrated effects of exposure
are adverse. But their 'level of concern' remains at 25 µg/dL
- A national review of public exposure to lead has
estimated there are 21,000 1-4-year-old Australian children who may have
blood lead levels above 25 µg/dL, and 446,000 who may have levels above
10 µg/dL
- Lead is still present in significant quantities
today. Leaded petrol accounted for 64 % of petrol sales in 1991,
resulting in thousands of tonnes of highly bio-available lead being
released into the environment. The Hazardous Substances Branch of the
NSW EPA believes the average lead content in inner Sydney soils is 600
mg/kg - double its level for further investigation.
- Over 130 models of pre-1986 cars could run on
unleaded petrol - if only their drivers knew!
- Australia is the OECD country which allows the
highest levels in petrol. Permissible levels of lead in Australian
petrol are given in the table below. In areas where permissible levels
are not set, the figure is what the petrol refiners purport to supply.
| NSW metropolitan |
O.4g/L |
|
NSW country |
0.84 |
|
Qld metropolitan |
0.4 |
|
Qld country |
0.84 |
|
NT |
0.84 |
|
SA |
0.65 |
|
WA |
0.84* |
|
Tas |
0.4 |
|
ACT |
0.4 |
|
Vic |
0.3 |
|
* to be reduced to 0.4 by 1996 |
Compare these with 0.15 g/L for most European countries
and 0.026 g/L in North America. Any amount above 0.15 g/L is in excess of
the vehicle's needs.
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