Lead Us Not

Ninety percent of the global gasoline supply is unleaded -- but the majority of the remaining 10 percent is consumed in developing nations. That's bad news for citizens of those countries because leaded fuel is associated with neurological damage, particularly in children. Now, though, there's some good news from the United Nations Environment Programme: Most of the African continent will have weaned itself off of leaded gasoline by 2008. According to UNEP, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, and Mauritius have already phased out leaded fuel, and another 22 nations have plans to eliminate use of leaded gas by 2006, or are currently developing such plans. UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer called the phase-out of leaded fuel in Africa "one of the first concrete outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development."