US shooters fear lead ban

Lead ammunition is thought to present a danger to raptors

By Joe Dimbleby

Friday, 13 August 2010

A petition has been submitted to the American Environmental Protection Agency seeking a lead ammunition ban

Several American environmental groups, including the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), recently submitted a petition to the American Environmental Protection Agency, seeking to ban lead ammunition in the US on the grounds that its use is inconsistent with the 1976 Toxic Substance Control Act. The petition goes on to suggest that the use of lead poses a danger to wildlife, in particular raptors such as bald eagles, that may feed on entrails or unrecovered game left in the field.

The trade association for the US firearms, ammunition and shooting sports industry, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), has announced its opposition to the petition. NSSF president Steve Sanetti said: “There is simply no scientific evidence that the use of traditional ammunition is having an adverse impact on wildlife populations that would require restricting or banning the use of traditional ammunition beyond current limitations, such as the scientifically based restriction on waterfowl hunting.”

The rest of this article appears in 11th August issue of Shooting Times.