Association between Residential Distance to Airport and Blood Lead Levels in Children under 6 Living in North Carolina, 1992-2015

Even with progress in lead poisoning prevention, research has consistently shown there is no safe blood lead level (BLL) for children.¹ Behavioral and cognitive deficits are associated with lead exposure, even at low levels.² Unfortunately, many piston-engine aircraft are still fueled by leaded aviation gas (avgas).

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that∼5.2million people live within500m of an airport where avgas is used.³ Our past research in six North Carolina (NC) counties indicates that children living within500m of airports where avgas is used have∼4% higher BLLs than children who lived beyond2,000m (reference group); the association between avgas and children’s BLLs was still detectable at1,000m.⁴ Building on this work, this study investigates the relationship between avgas and BLLs in children across all 100 NC counties.

In October 2023, the EPA finalized an endangerment finding as the first step in using its authority to regulate the use of avgas. EPA is now required by the Clean Air Act to propose and promulgate regulatory standards for lead emissions from certain aircraft engines. Moreover, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must propose avgas that will control or eliminate lead emissions. In this paper, we provide evidence that is relevant to the EPA’s future regulatory proposals.