A Cessna A152 is refuelled with Avgas at the Taieri Airfield yesterday. PHOTO: LINDA ROBERTSON Leaded petrol continues to pose health risks in New Zealand, despite it disappearing from service stations three decades ago. A study by University of Otago public health researcher Prof Nick Wilson and independent researcher Dr John Horrocks found leaded petrol is still being used in many piston-engined light aircraft, some helicopters and motor racing vehicles in New Zealand, creating an ongoing hazardous source of lead exposure. It was estimated that the 9 million litres of aviation fuel imported into New Zealand during 2024 contained about 5 tonnes of elemental lead. The fuel, known as Avgas, contains lead concentrations higher than those permitted in petrol before New Zealand switched to unleaded fuel in 1996. In a new Public Health Communication Centre briefing, the researchers concluded New Zealand should develop a formal plan to phase out leaded aviation and motor racing fuels and transition to unleaded alternatives. Similar moves are already under way in the United States,’’ Dr Horrocks said. ‘‘Lead is a potent neurotoxin with no safe level of exposure. ‘‘Children are particularly vulnerable in terms of harm to brain development, while adults face increased risks of cardiovascular disease, kidney damage and reproductive harms.’’ At very high levels, lead poisoning can be fatal. Lead poisoning symptoms in children can include developmental delay, learning difficulties, irritability, loss of appetite, weight loss, sluggishness and fatigue, abdominal pain, hearing loss, constipation, vomiting and seizures. In adults, symptoms include high blood pressure, joint and muscle pain, difficulties with memory or concentration, headaches, abdominal pain, mood disorders, reduced sperm count and miscarriages, stillbirths or premature births. Dr Horrocks said the ongoing concern about the hazard posed by lead had already been highlighted this year, when the government gave a directive that all new plumbing products must be lead-free if they come into contact with drinking water. Prof Wilson said people handling leaded fuel, working on aircraft engines, or living near airports used by light aircraft, may be exposed to lead and other hazardous compounds. Research in the United States has found higher blood lead levels among children living close to airports frequently used by piston-engined aircraft. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has identified aviation gasoline as the dominant source of lead emissions to its country’s air, and is progressing a transition plan to eliminate leaded aviation fuels and approve unleaded alternatives. Dr Horrocks said the New Zealand government should adopt a similar precautionary approach. He recommended a formal ‘‘phase-out plan’’; strengthening health and safety measures around the handling of leaded fuels; and establish oversight of the transition process. john.lewis@odt.co.nz
