Lead ammunition to be banned for hunting and shooting in England, Scotland and Wales | Hunting
Ministers, wildlife groups in a long -awaited announcement of satisfaction, leading hunting rifle pellets and bullets will be banned for almost all uses, he said.
The restrictions will be gradually removed from 2026 in a period of more than three years, rather than five in an official report last year, and some shooting organizations will ask that the reserve ammunition may not be fully available in time.
The amendment to the law announced by the Environmental Minister Emma Hardy will prohibit a shotgun pellets with more than 1% lead and more than 3% bullets.
The ammunition using lead has long been defined as a certain risk for an important pollutants and water birds. Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) estimates that approximately 100,000 water birds died of lead poisoning in the UK.
The forbidden “a big day for wildlife, especially immigrant water birds that call our wetlands their homes,” he said.
Campaigns say that birds often eat lead pellets, mixing them for seeds or sand.
A report dated 2022 showed that 99.5% of the pheasants killed using hunting rifle pellets contain bullets, and their efforts to convince shooters to use different types of ammunition voluntarily have reached very little.
The prohibition to be applied in England, Scotland and Wales, Suggestions in December last year The Health and Safety Manager said that the lead ammunition should be gradually removed for five years.
HSE suggestions followed the consultation of the people.
The British Attraction and Protection Association (BASC) said that it supports the overall change, but did not agree with the shortening of the recommended timeline for two years.
Terry Behahan from BASC said that the three -year transition was on the assumption that ammunition is easily available. “Beyond the control of our sector, this is not the case for the reasons for commercial and supply.
Tim Bonner, General Manager of the Rural Alliance, said that its establishment supports the wider change and that the shorter transition period would be “compelling for ammunition producers”.
He said: “This is an important step for the future of the gravity that will benefit the rural area and rural economy. The alliance has long been advocated to move away from the leading ammunition that is necessary and useful.”
Hardy said: “British is a proud country of nature lovers, but our rivers are very dirty and glorious birds are decreasing in an alarming extent. For most use, this new lead ban will help to reverse it – the pride of pride in our rural area by protecting the rivers and cleaning the rivers.
“Non -Liad alternatives are ready and we will continue to work closely with the shooting sector during this transition.”
Birdlife Charity President RSPB James Robinson said: “It has been known to be a poison for a long time, we have carried out a campaign to be eliminated for decades. This movement will mean that Britain will be a safer place for millions of birds and other wildlife while standing in a short time from a delayed and complete prohibition.”
There is an exemption for an open -air shot of the permissible birds and animals using small caliber bullets, because there are no appropriate alternatives. In addition, air guns and elite athletes, army, police and risk management measures are exempt in open -air target shooting intervals.
