Curbing pollution

leaded petrol will be phased out across much of the developed world by the year 2005 in order to help reduce emissions of toxic heavy metals. The us, Canada and European countries pledged to stop sales of the fuel in a recent summit of environmental ministers from 54 nations held in Aarhus, Denmark. The European Union has already announced a ban on use of leaded petrol.

The decision of these countries form part of a legally-binding commitment signed at the summit to reduce emissions of three heavy metals -- lead, cadmium and mercury. Levels of lead in petrol will be reduced to a maximum 0.15 grams per litre by 2000. Nearly 80 per cent of all petrol is to be lead-free by 2002, according to the decision. Several cis countries confirmed their commitment to eliminate lead in petrol by 2008.