lead ammunition HSE report

[Utectok]

"An unacceptable risk has been identified for hunting with lead bullets (for both the 21 environment and human health). There are no realistic ways to limit the amount of lead entering the environment from this use or to eliminate the risk to humans from ingestion of lead when lead bullets are used for hunting. The most effective risk management option is therefore a ban on the use of lead bullets for hunting. Other options (such as mandatory product labelling, training for hunters and potentially a buy-back scheme) could provide useful supplementary options to support the restriction. There are already viable alternatives for large calibre bullets and the ammunition industry is developing small calibre (including for airguns) non-lead bullets. There is a move to lead-free ammunition, with the in-progress EU restriction also proposing a ban on lead bullets for hunting. It is therefore likely that more alternatives will be developed and brought to market over time, and that prices for non-lead bullets would eventually decrease. A ban on the use of all lead bullets for hunting is therefore considered practical, as long as transition periods are appropriate to take account of the development of alternatives."

https://consultations.hse.gov.uk/crd-reach/restriction-proposals-004/supporting_documents/Annex%2015%20restriction%20dossier%20%20lead%20in%20ammunition.pdf

 

[Conor O'Gorman]

Today, 6 May, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published its findings on the risks posed by the outdoor recreational use of lead ammunition for people, wildlife and the environment in England, Wales and Scotland.

Based on these findings the HSE has launched a six-month consultation on the following proposals for England, Wales and Scotland:

• ban on the sale of lead shot
• ban on the use of all types of lead ammunition for live quarry shooting including lead shot, shotgun slugs, lead bullets and airgun pellets
• ban on the use of lead shot for outdoor target shooting with possible derogations for licensed athletes at licensed ranges with appropriate environmental protection measures
• ban on the use of lead bullets for outdoor target shooting with possible derogations for shooting at licensed ranges with appropriate environmental protection measures
• mandatory labelling of the packaging of lead ammunition regarding the hazards and risks of lead.

Proposed transition periods for the above restrictions to take effect would vary from 18 months to 5 years. Buy-back schemes for lead shot cartridges and rifle ammunition have been proposed.

BASC statement:

BASC statement on lead ammunition restriction proposals

Read our statement in response to publication of restriction proposals on the outdoor use of lead ammunition in England, Scotland and Wales.

basc.org.uk

BASC blog:

Lead ammunition restriction proposals: what happens next? - BASC

Read our overview of the Health and Safety Executive's proposed lead ammunition restrictions in England, Wales and Scotland.

basc.org.uk

 

[Dave_45]

So, lead is done for live quarry basically?

 

[Utectok]

So, lead is done for live quarry basically?

Almost certainly yes

 

[308tikka]

Depends if by statutory instrument or needs parliamentary time.

There may be all sorts of exemptions factored in - vermin vs food chain for example.

Risk management of a few lead cored bullets ending up in the ground-compared to whats been produced over two world wars and the associated training.... is it relevant? Food safety, commercial chains? Yes.
Own consumption- risk management 101.

The govt may well decide it isnt worth pursuing. Farmers - and food supply - will be a lot higher on voters minds later in the parliamentary term.

A bit like trophy hunting bills... it might just get paused for quite a while.

 

[308tikka]

‘There are no realistic ways to limit the amount of lead entering the environment from this use or to eliminate the risk to humans from ingestion of lead when lead bullets are used for hunting.’

Statement is untrue.

Neckshot deer, chop off several inches below and a pristine carcass has zero lead in the flesh to be eaten. Theres an argument for miniscule fragments - but once skinned....

As for the environment - dont leave the pluck behind.

 

[Selous]

‘There are no realistic ways to limit the amount of lead entering the environment from this use or to eliminate the risk to humans from ingestion of lead when lead bullets are used for hunting.’

Statement is untrue.

Neckshot deer, chop off several inches below and a pristine carcass has zero lead in the flesh to be eaten. Theres an argument for miniscule fragments - but once skinned....

As for the environment - dont leave the pluck behind.

I’m not sure you are correct. What about chest shot deer? Will everyone remove the pluck and gralloch from the ground and dispose of it as contaminated waste? The trouble is the minuscule fragments that you speak of are still contamination.
If you don’t shoot it with lead there will be no lead contamination… surely

 

[Waz77]

Going lead free would be OK if you could find someone who was willing or capable of supplying you with the goods

 

[Liveonce]

unable to find any mention that the most beneficial reason hunters use .22lr is because it is effective subsonic.
also no mention that steel shot must be used with biodegradable wads, so single use plastic looks not to be a problem so we can litter the countryside just like Denmark has done so with plastic pollution that will be around for 400 years.

The number of game cartridges vs clay cartridges also look to be at odds, given that clay shooting cartridges sales far exceed game cartridges.

 

[T.eddie]

id assume that manufactures will quickly look to come up with effective / readily available shot/rounds and more cost effective pricing to ensure they dont miss out on the UK market, time will tell but it seems a no brainer really

 

[Len the dog]

We all knew it was coming, we live in an extremely risk averse culture here in the UK, and of course the EU. You can't deny that the use of lead poses a risk no matter how infinitesimally small that risk is, but for some ANY risk is too much, and unfortunately we have a culture in the UK now of bowing to anyone with a grievance no matter how out of proportion that grievance is.
We can only hope that suitable alternatives are found for EVERY situation within whatever timeframe is placed upon it, or that like 308tikka suggested, prevarication may save us for quite some time.

 

[Len the dog]

id assume that manufactures will quickly look to come up with effective / readily available shot/rounds and more cost effective pricing to ensure they dont miss out on the UK market, time will tell but it seems a no brainer really

Unfortunately the vast majority of rifle ammunition is made in the states, and as UK sales are a drop in the pond I can't see them breaking their necks to develop sufficient range or quantity to satisfy our market. We can only hope that the USA also bans lead, though I can't see that happening this side of ever.

 

[Selous]

Unfortunately the vast majority of rifle ammunition is made in the states, and as UK sales are a drop in the pond I can't see them breaking their necks to develop sufficient range or quantity to satisfy our market. We can only hope that the USA also bans lead, though I can't see that happening this side of ever.

I think you are correct, however the lead free ammunition movement started in California when the condors were dying of lead toxicity after eating gut piles. In essence they have done a lot of work on this already

 

[Robs]

As previously written, no suitable alternatives for airgun, .22lr and muzzleloaders and the MOD will quickly close ranges to civilians on the pretext of not compliant with JSP403. Couple that with a vague notion that somehow someone will develop a suitable alternative in the future and exemptions for elite athletes. Sorry but that's just boxxocks. Pistol shooting is dead in this country due to the ban, this time they take the ammunition, same result. The consequences for anything other than deerstalking and 12g cartridges users are dire.

If implemented I believe smallbore target shooting and muzzleloading will be dead in short order as there is no solution that is viable. The shooting orgs have had years to compute and deliver how much a total ban will cost and to get real arugments put across, but they haven't. They have concentrated on stalking and game shooting. Smallbore and airgun is where most start shooting. We now have those routes into the sport threatened with closure.

 

[Liveonce]

The report also assumes we all shot 12gauge shotguns, The report is biased towards the benefits of banning lead can see nothing about the impact on types of firearms owned, buy back of lead ammunition but no buy back for guns that effectively are made obsolet.

 

[Len the dog]

I can see sales of lead cored varmint rounds going through the roof after this, I don't have any interest in reloading now but I'm starting to think it may be worth a punt in buying a heap of bullets in case I do.

 

[Liveonce]

If they are going to buy back lead bullets at commercial prices, I will get my bullet moulds out and get very busy

 

[Len the dog]

The report also assumes we all shot 12gauge shotguns, The report is biased towards the benefits of banning lead can see nothing about the impact on types of firearms owned, buy back of lead ammunition but no buy back for guns that effectively are made obsolet.

I'm acting on behalf of a friend in selling his late father's shotguns, the price has collapsed from a few years ago and will now drop even further as people desperately try to offload guns that are no longer suitable.

 

[Ride walker]

I think what people lose sight of is the industrial scale of diffuse lead contamination in the UK environment from historical mining and smelting, and past use of leaded fuel. The amount of lead entering the environment from a 150 grain bullet is insignificant by comparison.

 

[Liveonce]

Will be amazed if their is a buy back for anybody other than may be the trade, they will simply say you had the transition period to use up what you had In-hand.