From Innovation to Awareness: The Rise and Fall of Leaded Gasoline

Curiosity is what drives exploration and it’s the spark that makes me stop, look around, and ask questions. If you’ve ever wondered about something as ordinary as the leaded gas pump, you’re touching on a fascinating (and troubling) piece of 20th-century history.

In 1921, General Motors discovered adding lead to gasoline eliminated “knocking” and by 1923, leaded gasoline was sold all across the US. This lead allowed for higher engine performance, but it also meant that lead particles were released into the air through the exhaust.   

By the 1960’s and 70’s, research linked the airborne lead to brain damage and developmental delays as well as environmental contamination. The EPA began to phase out lead in 1973 and by 1996, leaded gasoline for on-road vehicles was fully banned in the US.