Lead and road traffic

Tetraethyl lead has been used for many years as an additive in petrol; most airborne emissions of lead in Europe therefore originate from petrol-engine motor vehicles. With the increasing use of unleaded petrol, and the introduction of lead replacement petrol (LRP) for vehicles which cannot run on unleaded petrol, UK emissions of lead have declined sharply.

Additional information on lead pollution and transport can be found on the Environment Agency website.