Leaded Fuel

Largely airplanes have shifted away from using leaded fuel. However, there are still 220,000 smaller older aircraft still using leaded fuel. Communities near airports that serve these piston-engine aircraft are still suffering from increased lead exposure. The FAA is partnering with the aviation community to eliminate leaded fuels by 2030.

---

EPA DETERMINES THAT LEAD EMISSIONS FROM AIRCRAFT ENGINES CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTE TO AIR POLLUTION

Aircraft that operate on leaded aviation gasoline are typically small piston-engine aircraft that carry 2-10 passengers. These aircraft are approximately 45 to 47 years old, on average, depending on the type of aircraft. Jet aircraft used for commercial transport, on the other hand, do not operate on leaded fuel. Levels of airborne lead in the United States have declined 99% since 1980, but emissions from aircraft that operate on leaded fuel may still pose risks to nearby communities, including those with environmental justice concerns. 

EPA Determines that Lead Emissions from Aircraft Engines Cause or Contribute to Air Pollution
United States Environmental Protection Agency 2023
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-determines-lead-emissions-aircraft-engines-cause-or-contribute-air-pollution

---

BUILDING AN UNLEADED FUTURE BY 2030

The FAA and partners in the aviation community launched the EAGLE initiative as the result of a Congressionally mandated report from the National Academies. The EAGLE team’s goal is to eliminate leaded aviation fuels in piston-engine aircraft safely by the end of 2030.
​
“EAGLE Initiative | Federal Aviation Administration.” Faa.gov, 2022, www.faa.gov/unleaded.
‌