from Suzanne Billharz, USAID/US-AEP Indonesia:

There has been good press over the past several weeks on leaded gasoline phase-out in Indonesia. One recent article in the Jakarta Post: "Study shows decreasing level of lead in children's blood" (pasted in below) reports new results from the University of Indonesia's study tracking the health benefits from introducing lead-free gasoline in Jakarta (supported by USAID). The study was a follow-up to our 2001 baseline study with EPA/CDC, which found that 35% of Jakarta children had blood lead levels above WHO or USEPA standards (10 ug/dl). This year's study aimed to find out if lead levels in children's blood have decreased since leaded gasoline was phased out in Jakarta in 2001.

The results are clear and very encouraging: the average child blood lead level has dropped in half. The average level has dropped from 8.6 ug/dl in 2001 to 4.2 ug/dl in 2005, and levels will likely drop further once leaded gasoline is banned nationwide. The health benefits are significant -- over 5 million children and 7 million adults in Jakarta alone have much lower levels of lead in their blood than in 2001. This translates into better IQ and other physical benefits, so that Jakarta children are better able today to perform well in school than just a few years ago. It is primarily civil society efforts in constructive engagement with the Government of Indonesia that have motivated concrete actions to bring about these practical improvements in child health and welfare.

Yesterday, Mayor Dada Rosada of Bandung launched our child blood lead and IQ testing program there yesterday, giving an energetic speech about the importance of this activity to help tackle air pollution and Bandung's newly passed Clean Air Law. He had his blood lead level tested before the TV cameras, then observed a demonstration of the city's new vehicle emission testing procedure. Dr. Puji Lestari at ITB, Dr. Budi at the City Health Office, and Ahmad Safrudin of the Lead Information Center did a superb job.

Of course, the goal is nationwide unleaded gasoline, and toward that end the Lead Information Center is launching a public campaign; publishing a booklet for mosque leaders on Islam and the environment; mapping the presence of lead in the environment; and other activities. The Joint Committee on Leaded Gasoline Phase-out is preparing legal action to accelerate lead phase-out and press for compliance with existing laws requiring nationwide unleaded gasoline and for implementing Euro-2 standards.

USAID Tests Blood Lead Levels of Bandung Residents
(Media Indonesia 5/10 p.24)

Hundreds of people, including elementary school students, street-side vendors, policemen, and parking guards in Bandung were gathered yesterday in front of the city hall to have their blood tested for lead levels. This program was conducted by USAID, which has provided US$25,000 fund assistance for this purpose. "We see that this test is important to determine the effect of leaded fuel, which most motor vehicles still consume. The objective is to urge the government to expedite the use of non-leaded fuel," said Suzanne Billharz, coordinator of U.S. Asia Environmental Partnership, USAID.

USAID Provides Grant for Lead Level Tests
Jakarta Post p.5. Print May 10, 2005

BANDUNG: The United States Agency for International Development has given a US$25,000 grant to a program that will test lead levels in schoolchildren and street vendors in Bandung.

Suzanne Billharz of the USAID's US-Asia Environmental Partnership said on Monday such tests were important to determine the influence of leaded gasoline on human health in order to push the government to speed up the switch to unleaded gasoline.

"We have provided a grant for two forms for examination; test kits for 220 elementary school students and direct examinations (conventionally done by taking blood samples for laboratory testing) for about 200 other residents," she said.

There have been reports chronicling worsening air quality in Bandung, with high lead levels in some parts of the city. Recent checks of vehicles in Bandung found that out of 63 vehicles tested, 41 failed emission tests, according to air pollution expert Puji Lestari from the Bandung Institute of Technology.

"Forty-seven percent of 64 people we randomly examined, from school children to policemen and parking attendants, showed increased lead levels in their blood, higher than allowed levels," she said.

Study shows decreasing level of lead in children's blood
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, May 3, 2005

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.

Comment from Puji Lestari, Department of Environmental Engineering

The BLL test launced by the city mayor of Bandung was continuation of the last year activities and agreement from the AIRPET national workshop in Bandung organized by Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) and supported by SIDA.

The BLL test on May 9, 2005 launched by Dada Rosada (City mayor of Bandung) was initiated and organized by Institute Teknologi Bandung in cooperation with LIC-Jakarta (Lead Information Center). The result from 24 participants during the launching indicating high BLL for exposed people. The BLL test results range from 3.4 - 42.1 ug/dL. The BLL test will be continued for number of elementary schools in Bandung as well as a group of exposed people (Policemen, parkingmen and vendors).

The other good news is that the city Mayor of Bandung is implementing the recommendations "on strategy to Improve Air Quality in Bandung" formulated from the Last year Airpet National workshop. At the same day, the City Mayor of Bandung launched the new local regulation on "CLEAN AIR" in Bandung. Congratulate and Appreciate the effort of Bandung city to have cleaner air in a beautiful city.

Best regards,
Puji Lestari
Department of Environmental Engineering
Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB)
JL. Ganesha No.10, Bandung 40132
Indonesia