Lead in Aviation Fuel
While leaded gasoline for most automobiles was banned in 1996 by the Clean Air Act, some uses for leaded fuel are still allowed today. These include off-road vehicles such as racecars, farm and marine vehicles, and piston-engine aircraft. Avgas is only used in small piston-engine aircraft that carry 2-10 passengers and in some helicopters. Commercial aircraft and jets do not use this type of fuel.
Today, avgas is the primary source of lead emissions in air. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Lead emissions from aircraft are an important and urgent public health issue." On October 18, 2023, the EPA issued an endangerment finding for avgas, stating the fuel “may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health and welfare under the Clean Air Act." Some studies have shown that emissions from avgas might be detected up to 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from general aviation airports.
What agencies regulate avgas?
Emissions from aircraft engines are regulated by the EPA. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has authority to develop standards that address the composition and properties of aircraft fuel to control or eliminate aircraft lead emissions. State of Oregon agencies like the Oregon Health Authority and the Department of Environmental Quality, as well as local public health authorities, do not have authority to regulate avgas or control the emissions or sales of the fuel.
The FAA announced an initiative in 2022 called “Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions" (EAGLE) to achieve a lead-free aviation system by 2030. Since the 2023 endangerment finding was released, the EPA and FAA are working together to address the issue of lead in avgas.
What can you do to reduce exposure to lead?
Exposure to lead from avgas is most likely to occur from deposits on bare soil which could be tracked into the home on shoes, displaced by wind to surfaces near or within the home, or ingested when children or adults put their contaminated hands or objects in their mouth. Actions and behaviors that can reduce exposure to lead include:
- Removing shoes at the door
- Cleaning floors and horizontal surfaces with a general cleaner and disposable mopping systems or paper towels
- Washing children's hands and faces after playing outside
- Closing doors and windows on windy days to reduce dust that can blow inside
- Thoroughly washing soil and dust from fruits and vegetables grown in your home garden
- Testing your soil by sending it to an NLLAP-accredited laboratory or attending a soilSHOP event
- Reducing lead levels in soil in your garden and play area by following recommendations from Oregon State University Extension Service
Is there a way to test a person to see if they've been exposed to lead?
A simple blood lead test can be performed to see if an individual has been exposed to lead. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), no safe blood lead level in children has been identified, and even low levels of exposure can cause well-documented adverse health effects and complications.
Families that live near airports should consider asking their child's pediatrician or medical practitioner for a blood lead test. Healthcare providers should ask parents or guardians about proximity to an airport when using the Oregon Lead Screening Questionnaire. Oregon Health Authority (OHA) recommends health care providers test children for lead exposure that live within close proximity to an airport.
Children enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) must receive a blood lead test at 12 and 24 months, or before 6 years of age if never tested. If you are enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) and need help finding a medical provider, visit this website for more information: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/hsd/ohp/pages/find-providers.aspx
If your child's blood lead level result is 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) or higher, your local public health authority will work with you to find out where the lead exposure came from. Most children who are tested for lead have blood lead levels below this amount, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls the blood lead reference value (BLRV). Children in Oregon with lead levels above the BLRV are most often exposed to lead through lead paint and dust in pre-1978 housing, from an adult's hobby or occupation that involves lead, and from imported consumer products that are contaminated with lead.
Adults that work with lead should talk to their employer about blood lead testing or visit an occupational health clinic. Oregon Occupational Safety and Health (OR-OSHA) regulates lead in the workplace to ensure employees limit their exposure.
How can I find more information about avgas?