Stating a desire to protect the environment and children’s health, Saudi Arabia this week began a year-long phaseout of leaded gasoline. All of the kingdom’s domestic refineries began producing exclusively unleaded fuel this week and leaded fuel reserves are expected to be exhausted by the end of the year. Saudi Arabia’s phaseout comes a year in advance of the January 2002 target date set by the Gulf Cooperation Council, which also includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
