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The Leaded Gas Scare of the 1920s
Corporate enthusiasm for this 'super fuel' overcame public fears until scientific evidence proved its harmful effects.
History

The invention of gasoline additive tetraethyl lead in the 1920s was a great technological advance, improving the performance of gasoline-fueled engines. But in 1924, reports of its harmful and sometimes deadly effects were hushed up, and leaded gas continued to power big American cars for another 50 years. Although finally banned in the U.S. and other industrialized nations, leaded gasoline use continues in many developing countries.

Documents Tagged environmental history in All Sections

E-law: What Started It All?
It began with a court battle over a power plant slated for Storm King Mountain and matured with test cases modeled on tactics pioneered by the NAACP.
History

Environmental public interest attorneys use America's environmental statutes and legal precedents to defend and advocate for wildlife and wild places and to protect public health. Environmental law has only been around since about the time of the first Earth Day in 1970. It began with a court battle over a power plant slated for an unspoiled area in the Hudson River valley, and matured with test cases modeled on tactics pioneered by the NAACP.

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