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otherwise it had nothing to do with it. for Ballarat. At the same time there was a ULP HEALTH RISK "The nett result: ‘Since the changes paper from Dr Bell, the Director of Health Even at that stage; Dr Warren had found observed are only of the order of statistical of the New South Wales Government. that the lead problem was highly overstated scatter (that is, you would never measure "Dr Bell asked what was going to be and that the potential hazards from the aro- anything and get the same thing twice), this added to the petrol to raise the octane num- matic octane enhancers—like benzene— indicates that lead from petrol did not con- _ ber if the lead was removed: 'If the lead is were greater than the perceived lead prob- tribute to uptake by ingestion through sig- taken out, you have to add other things to lem. nificant deposition on food and utensils as run them in our cars; we put in benzene, "In fact, this stuff appears to be so dan- has been suggested. If it had done, greater toluene, xylene, dimethylbenzene or gerous, potentially lethal, that I urge you and continuing decrease in blood levels in mesitylene. They're all ring compounds _ not to use it in any car not fitted with a cat- the community should have been observed.' and the dangers are that some of them are lytic converter. Don't use it in your "In other words, they measured nearly a declared carcinogens and the others are mower, chainsaw, whipper-snipper or out- thousand people over a five-year period suspected carcinogens. We're going to cut board motor, and don't wash parts in it. If and there was no change at all despite cut- lead even though there is no proof that it any gets on your skin, wash it off immedi- ting the lead content in petrol. ately. Avoid the fumes when refuelling "In London we had Professor . . and don't allow anyone near the Lowthur of the University of London (MUM CL@ AR ORCI LER CORSON exhaust, particularly when the exhaust pointing out that the lead that comes dangerous, potentially SUEIARtiEta@ me system is cold. Remember that catalyt- out of the exhaust has been baked at . ran ic converters don't work until they 2,000-3,000° Centigrade, like a house urge you not to use It in any car reach some 400°C." brick, but so small that you need a not fitted with a catalytic In Britain, this risk is so clear that the microscope to see it. It doesn't get converter. National Society for Clean Air has absorbed through the lungs and doesn't ' On 2 removed their support for ULP! even dissolve in the diluted hydrochlo- Don't use it in your mower, Dr Warren's research showed that the ric acid of the stomach. chainsaw, whipper-snipper or lead in blood comes not from breathing “It appears that the lead in the air is outboard motor, and don't wash airborne lead but from eating and drink- not the source of the lead that is er A ing it—that is, principally from sol- observed in the community. PERM ECU CULM ered food containers, lead-based paints “ "Besides, you can measure the lead wash it off immediately. and lead pipes. coming out of the cars and it settles. . : In fact research showed that the You measure it as grams per cubic Avoid the fumes when refuelling blood lead levels were higher in coun- metre at the edge of the road, but if you POUR U MEE ICOMMETNOLGRICCUM UME try people drinking bore water, such as go back ten feet it is less because it's exhaust particularly when the the New Guinea highlanders and peo- very heavy dust. Even though it's very | ’ t ? Id." ples on remote islands, without motor small particles it is very heavy.” exhaust system Is Cold. vehicles than in blood samples taken from those living in the heart of ENTER THE POLITICIANS Melbourne. for Ballarat. At the same time there was a paper from Dr Bell, the Director of Health of the New South Wales Government. "Dr Bell asked what was going to be added to the petrol to raise the octane num- ber if the lead was removed: 'If the lead is taken out, you have to add other things to run them in our cars; we put in benzene, toluene, xylene, dimethylbenzene or mesitylene. They're all ring compounds and the dangers are that some of them are declared carcinogens and the others are suspected carcinogens. We're going to cut lead even though there is no proof that it ENTER THE POLITICIANS Melbourne. (In 1983 Dr Warren was the scientific does anything wrong, and we're introduc- adviser to the committee for Energy ing substances which will ultimately be ALTERNATIVE Resources.) affecting the cancer rates in @ar country.’ You will recall in the past I have referred "The question came up: ‘Will we ban "The answer was: ‘We have converters to a device invented by Mr A. Bodycomb. lead in petrol?’ The real question was will and they will destroy them’, but we all This device would do essentially the same we have ULP?' The real reason for ULP know that converters don't work until they job as a catalytic converter, that is, remove was that people wanted to fit catalytic con- are hot—about the first three miles or so— carbon dioxide and unburnt fuel from car verters on their cars to get rid of the nitric and every time you fill up, the vapours are exhausts, but it would also remove lead— oxides, carbon monoxide and unburnt coming off. so there would be no need for ULP! petrol that came out, but the lead spoilt the “Now when the speech was delivered to This device was tested in the early '70s, catalytic converters. That was the reason Parliament, there were only two people lis- but those testing it seemed conveniently to that the rest of the world gave up lead in tening: myself (Dr Warren), to see thathe forget the test results later, favouring petrol. The other countries banned it to got it right, and the Member giving the _ instead the dry converter that we now have. bring in converters; we banned it because speech. It seems that the prevailing atti- Mr Bodycomb lives in Melbourne and we think it's dangerous. tude was: ‘Don't confuse us with the facts; even now cannot get anyone interested "So I (Dr Warren) prepared a speech and our mind is made up, the people want it enough to have a look at it. convinced the Committee—about a dozen and that is where the votes are.’ (Source: Extracted from an article by people from both parties—that lead didn't "Nobody listened to that speech because Graham Allum, published in Restored Cars need to be banned and that we didn't need it was party policy: both parties said, ‘No, lead-free petrol because the evidence was- we've decided—it doesn't matter what the n't there. man says; go and have a drink at the bar "I prepared a subsequent speech present- and when the bell rings we'll come in and ed to Parliament by the then-State Member _ vote'—and that's how it was decided!" Magazine #104) Part 2 of this series will explore in more detail the health dangers of unleaded petrol and catalytic converters. 48 * NEXUS APRIL - MAY 1995