ually s led to troduction of t of 1970 and finally to ted States in 1986. Almost immediately lead levels in t. But because lead is forever, today 625 times more lead in our blood tury ago. t of lead in tmospinues to groe legally, by about a ric tons ayear, mostly from mining, smelting, and industrial activities. ted States also bannedlead in indoor paint, “forty-four years after most of Europe,” as McGrayne notes.

    Remarkably, considering its startling toxicity, lead solder  removed from Americanfood containers until 1993.

    As for tion, it’s still going strong, tandard Oil, and Du Pontno longer akes in t to a company called Albemarle Paper in1962.) According to McGrayne, as late as February 2001 Etinued to contend “tresearco s leaded gasoline poses a t to .” On its e, a ory of tion of lead—or indeedof t simply refers to t as containing “a certaincombination of chemicals.”

    Eto its 2001 company accounts,tetraetEL as it calls it) still accounted for $25.1 million in sales in 2000 (out ofoverall sales of $795 million), up from $24.1 million in 1999, but dos report tated its determination to “maximize ted bytEL as its usage continues to ps tEL t ed Octel of England.

    As for t to us by ted States, but tenacious little devils and any t youloosed into tmosps or ance)  certainly be around and devouring ozone long after you ill introducing s of CFCs into tmospoayne Biddle, 60 million pounds of tuff, ill finds its o t every year. So  is to say, many of our larg