UK Government announces plans to ban lead shot
After our long campaign, with other wildlife groups, Born Free welcomes news of a ban on lead ammunition – a toxic metal which pollutes the countryside and poisons wildlife.
After years of campaigns, petitions, consultations and reports, the government has finally announced its plans to introduce a ban on the sale and use of lead ammunition across Britain.
The use of such ammunition results in huge amounts of lead accumulating in the environment, which has devastating effects on wild animals who ingest it. Lead poisoning is responsible for the deaths of as many as 100,000 wildfowl annually in the UK, along with a similar number of gamebirds.
Many more animals experience weakened immune systems, reduced muscle function and paralysis, impaired reproduction and increased susceptibility to disease, starvation and predation. Predators and scavengers, such as birds of prey, foxes, and even our domestic pets, can suffer secondary poisoning when they ingest affected wildlife.
It is difficult to think of another substance that is so widely and irresponsibly released into the British countryside that causes such devastation.
The new regulations will ban shot containing more than 1% lead and bullets with a lead content of more than 3%. According to government, the ban will prevent the release of an estimated 7,000 tonnes of the toxic metal into fields, forests and wetlands each year.
The shooting industry is to be given three years to transition to non-lead alternatives, and there will be some exemptions for the military, police, elite athletes, outdoor target shooting ranges with risk management measures in place, and museum collections. Small calibre bullets used for shooting live animals are not included, alongside airguns.
Responding to the news, Born Free’s Head of Policy Dr Mark Jones said: “We have been campaigning for an end to the use of lead shot and fishing gear in the UK for many years, alongside our partners at Wildlife & Countryside Link, so it’s good to finally see action from government.
“The proposals will bring the UK into line with some of our neighbours in Europe, including Denmark and the Netherlands who introduced comprehensive bans decades ago. We urge the government to introduce the legislation without further delay and encourage the shooting industry to act immediately and responsibly to eliminate lead products – they have had years to prepare for this and alternatives to lead are widely available.
“We also urge the government to go further by extending the ban to cover all ammunition containing any lead, including the proposed exemptions – there is no justification for anyone to be using lead ammunition in the UK for any reason.”
Born Free will continue to support efforts to protect our environment and wildlife from the devastating and completely avoidable impacts of lead toxicity, and to campaign against the shooting of wildlife for sport.