• HelixDab2@lemm.eeEnglish
    0·
    10 months ago

    Tetraethyl lead (TEL) was introduced in the 20s, but was largely eliminated from passenger cars in the US by the end of the 70s, and banned in the 90s. You can still get TEL additives for fuels for certain classic cars that require it, and certain aviation fuels still have TEL because they haven’t found anything else that works in those applications yet.

    You can blame Thomas Midgely Jr. for the introduction of both TEL and chrlorofluorocarbons (CFCs used in refrigerants).

    • shottymcb@lemm.eeEnglish
      0·
      10 months ago

      certain aviation fuels still have TEL because they haven’t found anything else that works in those applications yet.

      They have finally found a replacement. A company called GAMI got approval for replacement of 100LL in all engines in 2021. No modifications are necessary, aside from a sticker. It’s called G100UL. They’re ramping up production, it’s only available in a few airports atm.

      Of course it could’ve been replaced decades ago if the political will existed to ban it, but 🤷‍♂️