Wildlife groups urge UK government to ban lead ammunition

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Wildlife groups urge UK government to ban lead ammunition
Author: Priya Bharadia
Published: Jan, 09 2025 10:18

Environment secretary Steve Reed urged to bring in ‘full and swift ban’ to protect health of people, wildlife and pets. Wildlife charities have called on the government to ban the sale and use of lead in ammunition used for outdoor shooting. The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), RSPB, Wildlife and Countryside Link, Chem Trust and Wild Justice have sent an open letter to the environment secretary, Steve Reed, asking for a 18-month transition period for a ban on lead in ammunition sales.

Birds often ingest discarded lead pellets after mistaking them for seeds and grit, the charities say, causing lead to contaminate food chains and find its way on to dinner tables. A voluntary agreement to phase out lead shot made in 2020 was found to have made barely any impact, with 99.5% of birds shot found to contain the toxic metal two years later.

Lead ammunition in shooting is already banned in wetlands across the EU, and its chemical regulation body, the European Chemical Agency, has suggested extending the ban to all habitats. Since Brexit, the UK has diverged from the EU on multiple matters related to environmental protection.

Lead poisoning kills up to 100,000 waterbirds every winter in the UK, according to WWT estimates. In December 2024, the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published its recommendations on lead ammunition, including the prohibition of lead shot in quarry and target shooting.

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