ECHA proposes restrictions on lead usage for the below applications:

• Ammunition for hunting

• Outdoor sports shooting

• Fishing

It is estimated that each year around 100,000 tonnes of lead is dispersed into the EU environment from these uses: 79 % from sports shooting, 14 % from hunting, and 7 % from fishing activities.

Ammunition & sports shooting  Fishing sinkers

Usage of lead on Ammunition & sports shooting

• Within 5 years period, prohibit the sale and use of lead gunshot & use of lead in bullets and other projectiles (small calibre: five-year; large calibre: 18-month transition periods)

• ECHA also considered exemptions for use of lead gunshot for sports shooting only under strict conditions (minimizing the release in the environment).

Usage of lead on fishing

• Depending on weight (≤ 50 g three years; > 50 g five years); Usage of lead sinkers and lures should be prohibited

• Immediate prohibition on the use of lead sinkers when it is deliberately dropped to the water

Exemptions

• Military uses of lead ammunition, along with other non-civilian uses of lead ammunition such as by police, other security purposes, etc.,

• Indoor uses of lead ammunition are also excluded.

Attainment through this act

• This act can reduce the risk of poisoning to birds. Since ECHA estimates that at least 127 million birds are at risk of lead poisoning each year

• This restriction would reduce lead emissions to the environment by approximately 1.7 million tonnes over 20 years.

• It is assumed that phasing out the use of lead in large-caliber bullets and gunshot could avoid IQ loss in up to 7,000 children a year.

Source: https://echa.europa.eu/