the Sugar Conspiracy

Monday, August 18, 2003

Another reason to ride your bike

I'd always heard of lead poisoning from lead paint in old houses, but I never knew about the use of lead in automobiles:

The use of lead in cars accounts for the largest remaining source of lead pollution; one component, the lead starter battery, is responsible for the majority of current lead use in the world. Lead use by the auto industry results in the release or transfer each year of more than 300 million pounds (136,508 metric tons) of lead through mining, smelting, manufacturing and recycling of lead-containing of automotive components--primarily batteries. Over its lifetime, a car uses as much lead as a house with lead paint, which has been banned for decades. The amount of lead in cars is particularly significant because of its serious impact on human health, including behavioral problems and learning disabilities. Children are particularly susceptible to lead exposure, which occurs when lead dust contaminates floors, soil, or other areas in which children live or play.

This report, co-authored by Ecology Center, Environmental Defense and the Clean Car Campaign, documents the release of lead into the environment resulting from automobile manufacturing, use, and disposal, and calls on the automotive industry to phase out lead use in cars, most notably in the starter battery, and to take responsibility for ensuring the recovery and proper management of lead used in cars.

Thanks, Kristin.

posted by chris at 3:07 PM
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