Why did we use leaded petrol for so long?

“Facing sceptical reporters at a press conference in October 1924, Thomas Midgley dramatically produced a container of tetraethyl lead – the additive in question – and washed his hands in it.

“I’m not taking any chance whatever,” Midgley declared. “Nor would I… doing that every day.”

Midgley was – perhaps – being a little disingenuous. He had recently spent several months in Florida, recuperating from lead poisoning.”

Rejoice, the world just stopped using lead in petrol https://www.thepigeonexpress.com/toxic-leaded-petrol-now-eradicated-from-the-world-un-says/

though lead poisoning is still a problem https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_poisoning

poisoning epidemics happen for example connected to mining https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zamfara_State_lead_poisoning_outbreak