Five-year milestone in transition from lead 

It’s been five years since the announcement of the shooting industry’s voluntary transition away from lead shot, and on 7 March, the Government will reach the end of the 12-week period it was given to respond to the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) proposals for banning the use of lead shot. 

Last December, HSE sent its final recommendations to the Government on the restriction proposals for lead ammunition in England, Scotland and Wales following a consultation that began in 2022 and yielded more than 11,000 responses. 

In February 2020, a coalition of rural organisations, including BASC, the Countryside Alliance and the Moorland Association, agreed to a voluntary move away from lead shot. While there are claims from anti-shooting groups that the voluntary move away from lead use has yielded few results, the evidence for this suggests otherwise. 

Since 2020, thousands of people have attended BASC’s sustainable ammunition events, and the sector has taken great strides to develop alternatives to lead shot and single-use plastics. The vast majority of ammunition manufacturers now produce steel shot and biodegradable wad options. 

Also among the HSE proposals is the phasing out of large-calibre lead rifle ammunition for live quarry over a three-year timeline – .243 calibres have been included within this, which has been hotly contested by rural lobbies and could adversely affect tens of thousands of deer managers. 

BASC’s chief spokesman on lead ammunition Terry Behan says since the five years voluntary transition away from lead shot began, significant progress has been made. He told ST: “Market-led solutions have emerged, with more than 150 sustainable cartridge options now available, and many shooters have successfully transitioned to lead-free ammunition. Manufacturers, retailers and gamedealers have embraced the shift, ensuring that sustainable shooting practices continue to grow. 

“While we await the Government’s response to the HSE’s proposals, we remain committed to supporting the transition away from lead shot until legislation is in place. However, we urge ministers to reconsider the proposed reclassification of large calibres to include .243, which lacks a strong scientific basis and could have unintended consequences for deer management and pest control,” he added. 

“Shooting plays a crucial role in conservation, wildlife management and the rural economy. Any future legislation must be practical, proportionate and based on evidence. We will continue working with the Government, stakeholders and the wider industry to ensure a sustainable, workable future for shooting.”