Every year, 7,000 tonnes of toxic lead ammunition – the weight of the Eiffel Tower – is scattered into the environment.
Here it poisons people, wildlife and wetlands, creeping up the food chain and contaminating the soil for generations to come.
But now, with the conclusions from a crucial Health and Safety Executive review into restricting lead ammunition sitting on his desk, Environment Secretary Steve Reed has a unique chance to help make lead history.
After decades of poisoning, it’s time to end the era of lead for good.
There are no safe levels of lead exposure.
Every year lead ammunition claims the lives of 100,000 waterbirds in the UK, and a million in Europe.
From game meat, lead ammunition finds its way onto our dinner plates and pet bowls, posing a risk to humans – particularly children – and companion animals.
Through eating lead shot and bullet fragments embedded in carrion and prey, some of our most iconic birds of prey are at risk of death directly through poisoning or indirectly due to the resulting reduced ability to hunt and find food.
Find out more about how lead poses a risk to humans, health and wildlife here.
Toxic lead has been banned from petrol, paint and pipes. But in 2025, lead from ammunition is still being scattered into our environment.
Voluntary efforts to transition away from lead ammunition have failed, and it now remains the last significant source of lead poisoning for wildlife.
It’s time to end this scandal for good.
