Piston-engine aircraft that operate on leaded aviation fuel are the largest remaining source of lead emissions into the air, according to the EPA.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Oct. 7 announced a long-anticipated draft finding that lead emissions from piston-engine aircraft that operate on leaded fuel endanger public health.
The release of the draft “endangerment finding” sets in motion a public notice, comment and evaluation period extending into 2023, when the agency plans to issue a final determination. Should the endangerment finding be upheld, the EPA would develop a regulation governing lead emissions from aircraft; the FAA would prescribe standards for the composition of unleaded avgas.
“EPA is not proposing aircraft engine lead emission standards with this action,” the agency stated. “EPA’s consideration of endangerment is a first step toward application of EPA’s authority to address lead pollution. If the proposed finding is finalized, EPA would subsequently propose regulatory standards for lead emissions from aircraft engines.”
Though levels of airborne lead in the U.S. have declined by 99% since 1980, piston-aircraft that operate on leaded aviation fuel (avgas) are the largest remaining source of lead emissions into the air, the EPA says.
“When it comes to our children the science is clear, exposure to lead can cause irreversible and life-long health effects,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said. “Aircraft that use leaded fuel are the dominant source of lead emissions to air in the country. Today’s proposal is an important step forward as we work to reduce lead exposure and protect children’s health.”
Responding to the draft finding, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) issued a “Joint General Aviation Industry Statement” that calls attention to the joint FAA-industry Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) program. Unveiled in February, EAGLE’s goal is to phase out leaded avgas by 2030.
The statement emphasizes that the EPA draft finding “in no way bans or mitigates” the use of 100 Low Lead fuel supplied by airports or FBOs.
“The GA industry has been preparing for the proposed EPA finding, which is a multi-step regulatory process,” the statement reads. The industry “has aligned the goals of EAGLE to meet the challenges of transitioning to an unleaded future without compromising the economic and broader public benefits of general aviation.”
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