There is no safe level of lead in the human body. The science has been settled for a century. A certified unleaded replacement for 100LL has existed since 2022. The UK is the only country in the world where tetraethyl lead is still manufactured — by a company that pleaded guilty to bribing foreign officials to prolong leaded fuel sales.

Here is what you can do.

Sign the petition

Sign the UK Parliament petition: Ban UK production of tetraethyl lead

This petition asks the Government to ban the production of TEL at Innospec, Ellesmere Port — the world’s sole manufacturer — and ban the sale of leaded aviation fuel in the UK. It needs 5 signatures to be reviewed by the Petitions Committee, 10,000 for a Government response, and 100,000 for a Parliamentary debate.

The previous petition (2023) gathered only 34 signatures. This time the evidence is stronger, the criminal record is documented, and a certified unleaded alternative has been on the market for over three years.

Write to your MP

Ask your Member of Parliament to support a ban on the production and sale of tetraethyl lead and 100LL leaded aviation fuel in the United Kingdom. You can find your MP and write to them directly at WriteToThem.com.

Key points to include:

  • The UK is the sole global manufacturer of tetraethyl lead (Innospec, Ellesmere Port) — banning production here eliminates the global supply
  • Certified unleaded alternatives already exist (G100UL since 2022, Swift 100R since 2024)
  • 100LL is the largest remaining source of airborne lead in developed countries
  • There is no active UK surveillance of child blood lead levels near aerodromes
  • The manufacturer pleaded guilty to bribery in 2010 (FCPA, UN fraud) — four executives imprisoned
  • The EU just extended TEL authorisation to 2032 — seven more years, manufactured in Britain

Request blood lead testing

If you live near an airfield that services piston-engine aircraft, you can request a blood lead test from your GP. This is especially important for:

  • Children under 5
  • Pregnant women
  • Anyone living within 1 kilometre of an active general aviation airfield

The NHS does not routinely test for blood lead levels near aerodromes. Asking for a test raises awareness with healthcare providers and creates a data trail that strengthens the case for action.

Share the evidence

The strongest weapon against regulatory inertia is public awareness. Most people have no idea that leaded fuel is still being burned over their heads — or that the sole manufacturer is a convicted criminal enterprise operating one factory in Ellesmere Port.

Share our case summary, the full prosecution, and the petition.

For researchers and journalists

The full evidence base with academic citations is available on our References page. A formal legal-framework analysis is published as The People v. 100LL. All sources are public, peer-reviewed, and verifiable.

Media enquiries: piotr@ultimatelaw.org