- Full (HTML) - Full (PDF) - Related EHP Articles - PubMed:Related Articles - PubMed:Citation - Cited in PMC -

Kenneth Bridbord¹ and David Hanson²

¹Division of International Training and Research, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA; ²Economic Development Department, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Palmer, Alaska, USA

Abstract
Objective: This article describes the personal experience and perspective of the authors, who had primary responsibility for drafting the initial health-based regulation limiting lead content of gasoline during the early 1970s while employed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) .

Data source: Information used by the U.S. EPA in developing the initial health-based regulation limiting lead content of gasoline in December 1973 and studies documenting the impact of that and subsequent actions.

Data extraction: Among the lessons learned from this experience is the importance of having input from independent scientists to the regulatory decision-making process. This also demonstrates the critical role of independent peer-reviewed research, such as that supported by the National Institutes of Health, as well as research conducted by scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in delineating the consequences of lead exposure in the population.

Data synthesis: Removal of lead from gasoline in the United States has been described as one of the great public health achievements of the 20th century, but it almost did not happen. The experience of the authors in developing this regulation may be helpful to others involved in developing health-based regulatory policy in the future.

Conclusion: The initial U.S. EPA health-based regulation to remove lead from gasoline is clearly an example where science successfully affected public policy. The leadership of the U.S. EPA at that time deserves much credit for establishing an atmosphere in which this was possible.

Key words: gasoline, government, health-based regulation, lead, policy, U.S. EPA. Environ Health Perspect 117:1195–1201 (2009) . doi:10.1289/ehp.0800534 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 15 April 2009]

Address correspondence to K. Bridbord, National Institutes of Health, Fogarty International Center, Division of International Training and Research, 31 Center Dr., Room B2C39, Bethesda, MD 20892-2220 USA. Telephone: (301) 496-1653. Fax: (301) 402-0779. E-mail: ken_bridbord@nih.gov

We thank P. Gardner, R. Glass, M. Herranen, F. Katz, M. Lachat, K. Michels, A. Primack, and J. Rosenthal for editorial assistance and M. Ferreira for essential and exceptional research and assistance in preparing the manuscript.

The authors declare they have no competing financial interests.

Received 30 December 2008 ; accepted 15 April 2009.