The UN Environment Programme Programme (UNEP) announced on August 30, 2021, there is now no country in the world that uses leaded petrol for cars and lorries.
- At a press conference in Nairobi, Kenya, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced the last country to use leaded petrol, Algeria, had phased out the fuel. For the first time since 1923, no driver on the planet will be legally able to fill their tank with lead-infused petrol.
- The announcement followed a two-decade-long campaign, led by UNEP, to help the world abandon leaded fuel. The drive, part of the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV), used a mix of science, public education, policy work and shame to score a stunning environmental victory. Estimates have found that every year, leaded fuel bans save more than 1.2 million lives while helping the global economy avoid $2.4 trillion in healthcare expenses and other costs.
- Estimates have found that every year, leaded fuel bans save more than 1.2 million lives while helping the global economy avoid $2.4 trillion in healthcare expenses and other costs.
- The toxic leaded petrol can cause heart disease, cancer and stroke, and has been linked to problems with brain development in children.
About Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles
- The PCFV has been most successful in the global elimination of leaded petrol. In 2002 when the PCFV was formed, 82 countries were still using leaded petrol.
