Re: Unleaded Petrol

Richard Marsden (marsden@digicon-egr.co.uk)
Tue, 27 Aug 96 10:13:03 BST

> >The argument whether coir is eco-friendly or not seems to have interesting
> >parallels with unleaded petrol, where most experts are now having serious
> >second thoughts about whether they backed the right horse.
>
> I've never heard of any second thoughts here in the US. What I do hear is
> more and
> more lead *fears*: Old paint, foreign dinnerware, old water pipes, old and
> new water
> faucets, and lately, imported vinyl "mini-blinds".
>
> Lead ingestion has been proven to cause developmental retardation in
> children.
> It's removal from gasoline in Calif. has resulted in reduced lead levels in
> children's
> blood.

I don't think anyone doubts this. Leaded water pipes are still a problem in
the UK - one reason that tapwater is artificially hardened.
Lead is also blamed for the fall of the Roman Empire (amongst other things).

Things should be kept in perspective though.
(cf. asbestos - in the US there is a disproportionate fear of asbestos)


> I'm just wondering what "serious second thoughts" "most experts" in the UK
> are having.

Leaded petrol is being phased out. 4 star is still readily available, 2 star
has been replaced by unleaded. We do, though, have something called
"Super Unleaded". The extra octane rating being due to benzene and other
aromatics. It has now been shown that these additives and their partially
burnt exhausts are more toxic than lead. (Benzene is banned in UK school
chemistry labs - lead isn't). Some of the lead replacements (my vehicle
*needs* lead for the valves) are still unproven, and again, maybe more
dangerous (I'll probably replace my valves or change to diesel in the next
few years).
Also, catalytic converters are actually very dodgy. These can, and do produce
some nasty chemicals - esp. when not properly maintained.
I've also heard the arguement that catalytic converters reduce the power so
much that the engine ends up burning *more* fuel to compensate...

Richard