Leaded gasoline, introduced in 1923 to improve car performance, caused lasting harm to public health. Despite knowing lead’s toxicity for centuries, it was used for decades because it was highly profitable. A recent study estimates that lead exposure from car exhaust caused 151 million psychiatric disorders in the U.S., especially among those born before the 1996 ban. Generation X, exposed during lead’s peak use in the 1960s and 1970s, experienced the most severe effects, including higher rates of depression, anxiety, and attention problems.
Safer alternatives like alcohol-based fuel existed, but corporations chose lead because it was more profitable. Public health advocate Clair Patterson, PhD, played a key role in exposing its dangers, despite facing resistance from the oil and automotive industries. His efforts led to the ban on leaded gasoline in the 1980s, which reduced blood lead levels by 80% in the following decades. However, millions still live with lifelong mental health and cognitive challenges from early exposure.
The story of leaded gasoline shows the dangers of putting profits over public safety. Researchers stress the importance of addressing lead contamination today by replacing old lead pipes and cleaning up the environment. These actions can help prevent further harm and protect future generations.
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