Taking the lead

Taking the lead

Indonesia made a big leap forward in cutting back air
pollution with the introduction of unleaded gasoline in selected
gas stations in Jakarta on Sunday. The public indifference
towards such an important national event, however, underlined the
prevailing attitude of people in this country, including
residents of notoriously polluted Jakarta, towards environmental
issues: They couldn't care less.

Part of the problem is caused by the poor, or the lack of,
preparations ahead of the introduction of unleaded gasoline. Only
selected gasoline stations in the capital were offering unleaded
gasoline on Sunday. Most were not even aware that they were
supposed to phase out leaded gasoline starting on July 1.

Another problem was the poor dissemination of information
about the campaign to phase out lead from gasoline. The
indifference on the part of the majority of the media in
Indonesia is symptomatic of people's ignorance of the impact that
lead has had on the lives of people, particularly children.
This is a story that should have drawn greater public attention
because of the impact it will have on people's lives. In terms of
significance, this is probably a more important story than those
on the endless petty bickering between our politicians that have
occupied our attention these past few weeks. Yet, a quick glance
at the front pages of major newspapers in Indonesia last week
would lead on to believe that the campaign to phase out lead from
gasoline was not an important story at all.

Understandably, the initial impact on people's lives of the
introduction of unleaded gasoline will be limited. Few motorists
will venture making the conversion unless they are sure that
there are enough supplies, not only in the capital, but also
surrounding towns to ensure that they will never be without
gasoline.

This is nevertheless an important initial step for Indonesia
to take in phasing out lead from gasoline. Indonesia, in fact, is
one of the few remaining countries in Asia still using lead in
gasoline. Sunday's campaign marks the beginning in a two-year
campaign by the government to completely phase out leaded
gasoline nationwide by 2003. How Jakarta fares with the
introduction of unleaded gasoline in the capital starting this
week will determine the success of the nationwide campaign.

There is little doubt that Indonesia must, sooner or later,
remove lead from gasoline. There is already a whole body of
scientific evidence proving that the presence of lead residue in
the air, left behind from fuel burning, is affecting the health
of the people. Children are most vulnerable as a high content of
lead in their blood would severely reduce their intelligence.

That Indonesia should be one of the last Asian countries to
switch to unleaded gasoline raises questions about the commitment
of the government and the people to improving the environment.

The conversion to unleaded gasoline is turning out to be a
painless process. There is no real additional costs to Pertamina,
the giant state oil company, which has a monopoly over gasoline
supplies, and therefore no additional costs to pass to motorists.
With all cars built after 1985 already designed to take both
leaded and unleaded gasoline, most car owners will not incur
heavy costs in making the conversion to a more environmental
friendly gasoline.

There is no real reason for Indonesia to delay any further the
move to take lead out of gasoline. More than anything else, the
problem has always been one of attitude, or call it lack of
political will. The government has now taken the lead with the
introduction of unleaded gasoline. Now it is up to the public to
response in kind, that is, by showing that they do care about the
environment, about their health, and most of all, about their
children. Our children.