Another missed shot: lead’s restriction still out of the REACH agenda

Today, the EU REACH Committee¹ held one of its regular meetings on how to protect human health and the environment from the potential risks associated with chemicals. Yet, there was one absentee from the discussion table, not only in today’s agenda, but also throughout the last year: lead poisoning from hunting, sports shooting, and fishing.

The European Commission delayed again the presentation of the draft amendments regarding a restriction on lead in outdoor shooting and fishing to Member States. It has been a year since the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) sent their expert committee’s opinions and suggested restrictions to the European Commission. However, the Commission still hasn’t published its proposed amendment, nor justified this setback.

With every delay, lead continues to disperse into the EU environment from hunting, sports shooting, and fishing. If this remains unmitigated, an estimated 44,000 tonnes of lead will continue to be released annually from these sources, polluting our environment, and causing extensive and unacceptable toxic impacts on people, domestic animals, and wildlife.

The Commission has a huge opportunity to drive action to end this poisoning. Releasing the draft restriction to the REACH Committee now would leave a strong legacy for the current Commission and put us on a path towards meeting the zero-pollution ambition under the European Green Deal. It would also cement the EU as a leader in this space, alongside other countries and regions that are taking action, such as the USA.

On the 28th of February, Birdlife and other fellow organisations sent a letter to Commissioner Thierry Breton and Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius urging them to present the draft restriction proposal without further delay. Non-toxic solutions that are safe for people, wildlife, and the environment are not only a possibility but already a reality. All we need, is to ban lead from hunting, sports shooting and fishing now.

You can read our full letter here: https://www.birdlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Call-for-Commission-lead-restriction_Feb24.pdf

24 October 2023

A spotlight on preventing lead poisoning – but where is the EU action? 

This week marks International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week – an initiative led by the World Health Organisation to raise awareness of the detrimental impacts of lead, particularly in children. Ironically, the week also coincides with a set of key meetings of the EU REACH committee – the panel that works on the EU chemicals regulation – where Member States are gathering to discuss how to tackle dangerous chemicals. But what’s not on the agenda? The restriction of lead in outdoor shooting and fishing.

Read articleA spotlight on preventing lead poisoning – but where is the EU action? 

18 February 2021

Commission confirms it: lead shot will finally be banned in wetlands

The long awaited ban on the use of lead shots in wetlands finally came into force on 25 January. This sets the timetable for the ban’s implementation in Member States: they have until 15 February 2023, or 2024 if the country’s surface consists of more than 20% of wetlands.

Read articleCommission confirms it: lead shot will finally be banned in wetlands

04 September 2023

Summer is over! Back to European nature politics

After another summer with extreme weather, EU decision-makers are returning to their desks in Brussels. Meaning, it’s time to get back to those debates that matter most for nature and our future. Here’s what to look out for:

Read articleSummer is over! Back to European nature politics