“Toxic lead ammunition is history”, charities celebrate major win for wildlife
At a critical time for nature, the government has made the historic decision to finally ban poisonous lead ammunition in outdoor shooting across Great Britain, throwing a lifeline to some of the country’s most precious wildlife.
Steve Reed, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, chose to stand up for wildlife on Thursday 10 July.
The decision allows for a three-year transition for both lead shot and bullets, strengthening the recommendation published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in December 2024. This is backed by the Scottish and Welsh environment secretaries who played a key role in the process.
Sarah Fowler, CEO of WWT, said: “Today is a huge day for wildlife, particularly the migratory waterbirds who call our wetlands their home.
“The public have shown Steve Reed that we want a non-toxic future – and he listened. It’s a win for people and wildlife across the country. Finally, an end to this toxic lead scandal is in sight.
“But this isn't over yet - we're urging the government to implement this legislation as quickly as possible and make sure it’s complied with. We can’t afford any more piecemeal attempts to restrict this toxic source of poisoning.
“This moment has been decades in the making, and we wouldn’t be here without the thousands of people who wrote to the Secretary of State, our incredible campaign partners, and the scientists and campaigners at WWT who’ve fought for this every step of the way.”
Toxic lead ammunition has been poisoning wildlife, and posing a risk to communities, for more than a century, and recent efforts to phase out lead voluntarily have not worked.
WWT, the charity for wetlands and wildlife, has led a decades-long campaign alongside its partners to finally consign the era of lead ammunition to the history books.
In January, WWT, RSPB, Wildlife and Countryside Link, CHEM Trust and Wild Justice penned an open letter to Steve Reed calling for a transition period towards a full ban of lead shot of no more than 18 months.
Following this, 15,000 people wrote to the Secretary of State calling for a swift and full ban on lead ammunition.
Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: "This is an excellent decision. At a stroke, DEFRA will solve a significant source of suffering and mortality for wildlife and a completely unnecessary toxic contamination in people's food.
"This decision has been years in the making, so we hope the Government moves quickly on the law and follows up by aligning with the European Union to phase out other toxic chemicals that are polluting our environment."
The RSPB's chief operating officer, Dr James Robinson said: “Long known to be a poison, we have campaigned for decades to have lead ammunition removed from use. Lead is a significant problem for nature conservation, impacting the environment and the health of a large number of wild birds, with estimates of up to a hundred thousand individuals dying each year from poisoning. This move, whilst long overdue and stopping short of a full ban, will mean that Britain will become a safer place for millions of birds and other wildlife.”
Dr Anna Watson, Director of Policy and Advocacy at CHEM Trust, said: “Lead has been removed from our water pipes, our paint, our petrol, and now finally, from thousands of tonnes of ammunition that enters our environment every year. The harmful health effects of lead have been known for decades. This is a hugely welcome step that will decrease exposure to lead in the food chain and protect our much loved and much threatened wildlife.”
