UN declares leaded fuel for cars extinct as final country phases it out

The United Nations Environment Programme has announced the end of leaded fuel being sold for cars worldwide after Algeria stopped selling it last month.

While Australia and other countries started to move away from leaded fuel in the 1980s and towards unleaded petrol – as well as catalytic converters – it has still been available in some third-world nations.

Officially banned in Australia from 2002, it has taken nearly 20 years for the toxic fuel to be officially phased out globally, although it is still used in some fuels for light aircraft.

Attributed to the acceleration of stroke and cancer, as well as 1.2 million premature deaths a year, UNEP's executive director Inger Anderson says the phasing out of leaded fuel is a major step for the global population.

“The successful enforcement of the ban on leaded petrol is a huge milestone for global health and our environment,” said Andersen.

“Overcoming a century of deaths and illnesses which affected hundreds of millions and degraded the environment worldwide, we are invigorated to change humanity’s trajectory for the better through an accelerated transition to clean vehicles and electric mobility.”

Up until June 30, 2019 leaded racing fuels were still available use off public roads but these have since been banned.