Echa Proposes Restrictions On Lead Use

[Hoas]

Towards sustainable outdoor shooting and fishing – ECHA proposes restrictions on lead use​

ECHA/NR/21/07

The European Chemicals Agency brings forward a proposal for further EU-wide restrictions on the use of lead in ammunition for hunting and outdoor sports shooting as well as in fishing. The proposal aims to address the risks of lead in these activities to protect people, wildlife and the environment.

Helsinki, 3 February 2021 – At the request of the European Commission, ECHA has assessed the health and environmental risks posed by the use of lead projectiles for hunting and outdoor sports shooting as well as lead used in fishing sinkers and lures.

The Agency concluded that an EU-wide restriction would be justified. ECHA estimates that at least 127 million birds are at risk of lead poisoning each year. In addition, citizens are exposed to lead, for example, through game hunted with lead ammunition or when making lead ammunition, fishing sinkers or lures at home. Exposure to lead is especially harmful to children's neurological development. About one million children are vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead due to game meat consumption.

The proposal assesses various risk management options and identifies a preferred option to address the risks. It describes the impacts of these measures on human health and the environment as well as the overall costs to society. In simple terms, ECHA’s proposal is the following:

1. Lead sold and used in hunting, sports shooting and other outdoor shooting:

• ban on the sale and use of lead gunshot (with a five-year transition period). As current Olympic rules specify the use of lead ammunition for certain disciplines, ECHA also considered an optional derogation for use of lead gunshot for sports shooting only under strict conditions, i.e. when releases to the environment are minimised.
• ban on the use of lead in bullets and other projectiles (small calibre: five-year; large calibre: 18-month transition periods). Derogations for continued use if releases to the environment are minimised, i.e. when sports shooting ranges are equipped with bullet traps.

2. Lead sold and used in fishing:

• ban on the sale and use of lead sinkers and lures (with transition periods depending on weight: ≤ 50 g three years; > 50 g five years)
• immediate ban on the use of lead sinkers when the sinker is deliberately dropped to water (lead drop off techniques).

Military uses of lead ammunition, along with other non-civilian uses of lead ammunition such as by police, security and customs forces, are outside of the scope of the investigation. Indoor uses of lead ammunition are also excluded.

If adopted, the restriction would reduce lead emissions to the environment by approximately 1.7 million tonnes over 20 years. Additionally, the proposed restriction would protect the children of households that very frequently eat game meat. For example, it is assumed that phasing out the use of lead in large-calibre bullets and gunshot could avoid IQ loss in up to 7 000 children a year. The total costs of the restriction to society range from €260 million to €10.5 billion over 20 years depending on the sector affected and the type of restriction imposed.

All news - ECHA

The European Chemicals Agency brings forward a proposal for further EU-wide restrictions on the use of lead in ammunition for hunting and outdoor sports shooting as well as in fishing. The proposal aims to address the risks of lead in these activities to protect people, wildlife and the environment.

echa.europa.eu

 

[mark-hunter]

ISSF: INTERNATIONAL SHOOTING FEDERATION POLICY ON LEAD AMMUNITION

Link:

ISSF presents evidence of no risk lead use to ECHA Workshop

Representatives of the ISSF have cited evidence at a Workshop of the European Chemicals Agency that, with proper management, use of lead in ammunition on shooting sport ranges poses no risks to people or the environment.

www.issf-sports.org

ISSF presents evidence of no risk lead use to ECHA Workshop
Representatives of the ISSF have cited evidence at a Workshop of the European Chemicals Agency that, with proper management, use of lead in ammunition on shooting sport ranges poses no risks to people or the environment.

The ISSF report “Management of Environmental Risks Related to the use of Lead Ammunition at Outdoor Sport Facilities” was included in the main program of the Workshop, and attracted positive feedback from the participants.
The report of the Finnish Shooting Sport Federation, which quoted the best available techniques for managing shooting ranges in the country, was also positively received.
The Workshop, which was attended by representatives of hunting and shooting organisations as well as shooting related industries, was held in Helsinki on February 10th and 11th, 2020.
The ISSF will continue to work in this direction after the ECHA draw their conclusions from the discussions of the Workshop.

https://www.issf-sports.org/getfile.aspx?inst=439&pane=1&mod=docf&iist=101&file=Presentation%20ECHA_compressed.pdf

ISSF

 

[spike.t]

Apologies if this is a dumb question...but what could they replace lead bullets with in .22 rim fire etc.....and spit the pellets out dont eat them...simple...

 

[mark-hunter]

CCI makes copper-22, 22lr ammo. maybe somebody else.
But regardless, prices of ammo will skyrocket, if this bill pass through. And it will create next ammo draught.

 

[spike.t]

CCI makes copper-22, 22lr ammo. maybe somebody else.
But regardless, prices of ammo will skyrocket, if this bill pass through. And it will create next ammo draught.

Ok never seen it...and yeah more crap to deal with...I thought it had been disproved that bullets put any dangerous amount of lead into the meat of an animal...

 

[mark-hunter]

But, your question is absolutely valid!

What about muzzle loaders???
I never seen non lead, muzzle loader ball, especially for antique guns and their replicas.

 

[cmk]

Thankfully I have a stash of linotype and wheelweights to last me the rest of my life for casting practice bullets for the 404. As for hunting, well, I think it has been shown in some reports that families consuming a lot of game meat have (in general) an increased level of lead in their bodies. I guess this comes from using soft a/o cup-n-core bullets, and being too greedy when cleaning/butchering an animal. One needs to cut away more than one thinks.

The move to copper (or similar monometal) bullets has already started, and where I hunt at home, I would guess that 25% are using TSX, GMX or similar, for the reasons mentioned above. But that is for 30 cal and up. What to do about the smaller calibres... don't know. The 6.5x55, which is mighty popular here, does not meet the weight/energy requirements for big game when using copper bullets. And there is probably no good lead substitute for 22 cal etc.

Gold would work, but that is pretty expensive.

 

[GuttormG]

.I thought it had been disproved that bullets put any dangerous amount of lead into the meat of an animal...

Facts are useless...

A large Norwegian project tested people eating game meat more then once weekly Vs people wich newer ate game.
The non-eaters had significantly more lead in their blood. The main source of lead in humans today are vegetables and wheat.
Offcourse this project is never mentioned when the dangers of lead ammo is raised.

 

[375Fox]

I don’t understand the resistance to stop using lead ammunition for hunting. There is a huge amount of evidence to support the risks it presents to raptors. I do however wish it was voluntary and education based instead of outright bans like Arizona. There are many situations copper bullets are equally suited to the task, example shooting prairie dogs or ground hogs in USA with very cheap lead bullets that fragment, the birds eat them after and the lead will negatively impact them, copper would have killed them just the same no impact on birds. The more copper ammo gets used the cheaper it will become. There are other situations bullets like Swift a frames with lead cores perform better. There are a lot of opportunities to voluntarily use copper instead of less and reduce impact.

 

[375Fox]

Ok never seen it...and yeah more crap to deal with...I thought it had been disproved that bullets put any dangerous amount of lead into the meat of an animal...

There is actually quite a bit of evidence and research when it comes to raptors. The condors in California and Arizona get all the attention, but we actually have eagles die here in Pennsylvania too because following our 2 week rifle season a large part of their diet is deer gut piles with lead fragments. Many obviously recover as well.

 

[spike.t]

There is actually quite a bit of evidence and research when it comes to raptors. The condors in California and Arizona get all the attention, but we actually have eagles die here in Pennsylvania too because following our 2 week rifle season a large part of their diet is deer gut piles with lead fragments. Many obviously recover as well.

Yeah know that...but as I said I thought it had been proven that the amount is negligible in what people eat...

 

[Tanks]

I don’t understand the resistance to stop using lead ammunition for hunting. There is a huge amount of evidence to support the risks it presents to raptors. I do however wish it was voluntary and education based instead of outright bans like Arizona. There are many situations copper bullets are equally suited to the task, example shooting prairie dogs or ground hogs in USA with very cheap lead bullets that fragment, the birds eat them after and the lead will negatively impact them, copper would have killed them just the same no impact on birds. The more copper ammo gets used the cheaper it will become. There are other situations bullets like Swift a frames with lead cores perform better. There are a lot of opportunities to voluntarily use copper instead of less and reduce impact.

Problem is that non lead ammo (copper and brass) are lighter for the same mass. In order to increase the weight it needs to be longer. For smaller calibers that becomes a case capacity issue not to mention twist rates.

 

[WAB]

Many rifles don’t like monometal bullets. Many vintage guns should not fire them. If the data is anything like the lead shot data it is highly suspect and driven by folks with an agenda.

 

[sierraone]

But, your question is absolutely valid!

What about muzzle loaders???
I never seen non lead, muzzle loader ball, especially for antique guns and their replicas.

Yes there are copper bullets for muzzle loaders

But, your question is absolutely valid!

What about muzzle loaders???
I never seen non lead, muzzle loader ball, especially for antique guns and their replicas

Yes

 

[YancyW]

The goal is to increase prices and also get the nose under the tent. Ban it for hunting, then for sport shooting, then commercial gun ranges, then for your own property. There is no intention to stop at hunting.

 

[375Fox]

Many rifles don’t like monometal bullets. Many vintage guns should not fire them. If the data is anything like the lead shot data it is highly suspect and driven by folks with an agenda.

No argument on vintage rifles or accuracy for certain rifles, but many people who hunt locally only once a year look for nothing more than the cheapest bullet on the shelf, so I wish copper bullets would be more competitive in pricing. I found this to be very informative/thought provoking, it’s Randy Newberg podcast hunt Talk Radio, #87 non-lead ammo and hunting with raptors, the data they talk about I find very interesting and don’t see why I should find it suspect.

 

[GuttormG]

I don’t understand the resistance to stop using lead ammunition for hunting.

This EU-thing isn't about hunting, it's about all ammo.

And the justification has changed, from dangers of lead in food to raptors.

 

[curtism1234]

I have been a big proponent of banning lead for hunting and fishing for well over a decade. In fact, that is what ultimately drove me to becoming a member of the Sierra Club. While a natural earth metal, it is a very toxic metal that ordinarily does not cause problems other than those derived from man. It is devastating to birds and several US state conservation depts in republican/moderate states mind you have stated human consumption of lead specs in meat is harmful to humans.

Non-toxic ammo is as popular as its ever been. Its a fallacy that it drives up the cost of hunting beyond the means of common folks. Some of the same people strongly against it already hunt with non-toxic ammo by choice.

We are conservationists, but it always feels to me like many only support conservation when it is convenient to them. Hunting and 2nd Amendment are 2 very different things, and it blurs the line when organizations like SCI team up with the NRA on non-hunting related suits. That is not where my SCI money should be going imo. But I digress

 

[WAB]

No argument on vintage rifles or accuracy for certain rifles, but many people who hunt locally only once a year look for nothing more than the cheapest bullet on the shelf, so I wish copper bullets would be more competitive in pricing. I found this to be very informative/thought provoking, it’s Randy Newberg podcast hunt Talk Radio, #87 non-lead ammo and hunting with raptors, the data they talk about I find very interesting and don’t see why I should find it suspect.

I guess I’m still feeling burned over the lead shot fiasco. They took data gathered from an absolute worst case scenario and extrapolated it across all of NA. Totally flawed analysis that drove an agenda. I suspect similar issues with lead bullet analysis. It likely causes issues in some specific circumstances (as you have shared and I have no reason to doubt), but can that be extrapolated across the use of all lead bullets in all regions?

I’m glad I have a lifetime supply of my preferred bullets laid in!

 

[YancyW]

I have been a big proponent of banning lead for hunting and fishing for well over a decade. In fact, that is what ultimately drove me to becoming a member of the Sierra Club. While a natural earth metal, it is a very toxic metal that ordinarily does not cause problems other than those derived from man. It is devastating to birds and several US state conservation depts in republican/moderate states mind you have stated human consumption of lead specs in meat is harmful to humans.

Non-toxic ammo is as popular as its ever been. Its a fallacy that it drives up the cost of hunting beyond the means of common folks. Some of the same people strongly against it already hunt with non-toxic ammo by choice.

We are conservationists, but it always feels to me like many only support conservation when it is convenient to them. Hunting and 2nd Amendment are 2 very different things, and it blurs the line when organizations like SCI team up with the NRA on non-hunting related suits. That is not where my SCI money should be going imo. But I digress

It will not stop with hunting, that is just the most convenient entry point.