458 - Environmental and Medical Advocacy Efforts in Banning Leaded AvGas to Mitigate Detrimental Effects of Airborne Lead Pollution

Publication Number: 458.4745

Maya Kalbag, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, United States; Katherine C. Balen, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, POWAY, CA, United States; Serena S. Alvarez, California LULAC, San Jose, CA, United States; Elizabeth Friedman, Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Kansas City, MO, United States; Benjamin J. Shleifer, Scripps Health, Carlsbad, CA, United States; Rachel Ireland, Southern California Permanente Medical Group, San Diego, CA, United States; Lauren Trinh, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States; Vi T. Nguyen, Southern California Permanente Medical Group, San Diego, CA, United States

Background: Lead exposure through air pollution puts children at increased risk as their organs absorb a higher concentration of environmental toxins compared to adults. Elevated blood lead levels can result in decreased growth, learning disabilities, and kidney damage. A study in North Carolina demonstrated an association between increased blood lead levels and proximity to the airport, finding that children living within 2.5 km of an airport had 1.8% higher blood lead levels compared to their counterparts living 8-10 km away. Advocacy efforts in San Diego have been successful in getting local legislation passed, but there was a need for legislation at the state level given the continued use of leaded avgas in other California airports.

Objective: To build on advocacy efforts at the county level and help pass legislation to ban leaded aviation fuel at the state level. To strengthen existing partnerships with community-based organizations and identify new opportunities for physicians and students to advocate and address childhood health disparities.

Design/Methods: We outline our efforts in reaching out to government representatives and using our platform as healthcare advocates to increase awareness about the neurodevelopmental effects of airborne lead pollution. We discuss the blueprint on how physicians and students can bring a trusted public health voice led by established Environmental Justice and civic groups like California LULAC.

Results: Physicians and students are raising awareness about the harmful effects of lead and advocating for change. Collaborations between healthcare professionals and community groups, such as San Diego Pediatricians for Clean Air and the American Academy of Pediatrics, have strengthened these efforts. Through sign-on letters of support, signatures, and phone calls, California SB1193 was passed, banning the sale of leaded aviation fuel by January 2031.

Conclusion(s): Our physician advocacy group helped pass local legislation in San Diego and was successful in making California the first in the country to ban leaded aviation fuel. This work represents a unique opportunity and we offer a blueprint for similar projects in other states and municipalities. We hope to continue our work by seeking out new connections with environmental advocacy organizations that have not yet partnered with physician advocates, especially already identified partners in the neighboring states of Oregon, Utah, and Arizona.