Lead in air from gas is a concern

Published 4:54 pm Thursday, August 8, 2013

Thank you for your “Intro to Paine Field” article on Sunday.

Paine Field is a great asset, but it is also the primary source of airborne lead in the Everett area. When tetraethyl lead gasoline was phased out in the 1970s, a loophole was carved out for leaded Avgas. Many small piston engine planes burn leaded gasoline. When small planes fly over your home, they are probably spewing lead down on you. Most small planes could be converted over to lead free gasoline, and those that cannot should get new engines.

“The EPA estimates that 16 million Americans live close to one of 22,000 airports where leaded Avgas is routinely used—and three million children go to schools near these airports.” We need to complain to our state and federal legislators about this.

See: www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=lead-in-aviation-fuel.

See: www.foe.org/news/news-releases/2011-05-conservation-group-pressures-epa-to-get-the-lead-out

See: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3230438/

Emelyn Lim Pateño

Lynnwood