World Bank Calls for End of Use of Leaded Gas World Wide

05/21/96

The World Bank has called on the world to phase out the use of leaded gas over the next 5 years. Exposure to leaded gas has been linked to health problems that include neurological damage, high blood pressure and heart disease. The call for its ban is supposed to reduce such problems. The use of leaded gas is already prohibited in countries such as the United States, Japan, Austria, Brazil, Canada, and Sweden.

The World Bank said it will help governments design schedules for the phase-out, as well as policies to encourage refineries and consumers make the switch from leaded to unleaded. The World Bank says it also wants to help governments finance the switch by helping to broker financial packages through loans, guarantees, and attracting private investments.

Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel