Study shows decreasing level of lead in children's blood

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Phasing out leaded gasoline in Jakarta since 2001 has apparently satisfying results.

A study held by a team of the University of Indonesia's (UI) Environmental Health Department from January to March this year shows that the lead content in blood samples of elementary school students has dropped to 4.2 microns per centiliter from 8.6 microns in 2001, when the leaded gasoline phase-out program began.

"The result of the study indicates that the leaded gasoline phase-out program has been fruitful in reducing lead content in human blood," Budi Haryanto, the UI team coordinator, told The Jakarta Post over the weekend.

A high level of lead, which usually enters the human body through air and food, can damage brain cells, marrow, kidneys and other vital organs. The tolerable lead in human blood is 10 microns per centiliter.

Budi revealed that blood samples were taken from 200 third and fourth graders of 20 elementary schools in five municipalities. Each school was represented by 10 students -- five girls and five boys.

Budi said the team chose elementary school students as the subjects in the study "because they are at the most susceptible age to the impact of lead on the human body".

According to Budi, some 80 percent of lead in the environment is contributed by vehicular emissions. Other resources are manufactured goods like paints, canned foods, batteries and electronic waste.

Responding to pressure by environmentalist, the central government has required state oil and gas company Pertamina to supply only unleaded gasoline to fuel stations in the capital.

Unleaded gasoline is also sold in Bali, Batam and Cirebon.

According to ministerial decree No. 1585.K/32/MPE/1999 issued by the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources on the requirements of gasoline and diesel sales, Pertamina is required to supply only unleaded gasoline to the domestic market, as per Jan. 1, 2003.

The regulation has yet to upheld by the government.

Responding to the government not upholding the law, the Committee for Leaded Fuel Phase-Out (KPBB) has lodged complaints against the ministry.

KPBB chairman Ahmad Safrudin said his organization demanded that the ministry immediately phase out leaded gasoline.

"If the ministry ignores our complaints, we will report the ministry to the police for ignoring its own decree on the leaded gasoline phase-out program," Ahmad told the Post, adding that it would file suit in June.