Previous REACH restriction on lead shot in wetlands
The successful first step
Briefings. Media. Expert voices.
The EU is tackling the problems caused by lead ammunition in two phases.
In January 2021 the first phase was successful with the EU passing into law a restriction on the use of lead gunshot in wetlands.
Key briefings for the wetland restriction
Rebuttal to Objection to proposal (for Plenary).
European Commission's rebuttal to Objection text (for Plenary).
Hearing from the experts
Experts urge your support
Jacques Trouvilliez, Executive Secretary of the African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement, reflects on the need for regulation 20 years of after the original 2000 deadline.
Key references
The European Scientists, medics and veterinary health experts’ open letters on lead ammunition and need for transition to non-toxic alternatives.
European Hunting Experts – their factsheet on Alternatives to Lead Ammunition – Sorting Fact from Fiction.
Special Issue of journal Ambio from 2019 on all aspects of lead ammunition from toxicology through practicalities, economics and policy.
Oxford Lead Symposium 2015 proceedings.
Open letter to MEPs from the Green 10, a group of leading environmental NGOs.
On Twitter
On social media, we asked people to share a picture, painting, photo or any kind of symbol of a swan to urge MEPs to support the ban on lead shot in Europe’s wetlands > Share a swan campaign
HISTORY HAS BEEN MADE! 🎉 🎉 🎉
— WWT (@WWTworldwide) November 26, 2020
Lead shot will finally be banned in ALL EU wetlands! This historic ban paves the way for a healthier, toxic-free future for our environment, wildlife and people – at a time when the stakes for our planet couldn’t be higher 🌍 🦢 💙#BanLead pic.twitter.com/VN2hdZ8tAh
Don't let a healthier future slip away! 🦢
— WWT (@WWTworldwide) November 18, 2020
Time to end this appalling poisoning. Let’s have NO more delays to the proportionate workable solution to lead shot in wetlands #LeadIsPoison #EUGreenDeal
@schirdewan @ManonAubryFr @ManfredWeber @CiolosDacian @IratxeGarper pic.twitter.com/Y63BBpGfre
Don't let a healthier future slip away! 🦢
— WWT (@WWTworldwide) November 18, 2020
Time to end this appalling poisoning. Let’s have NO more delays to the proportionate workable solution to lead shot in wetlands #LeadIsPoison #EUGreenDeal
@schirdewan @ManonAubryFr @ManfredWeber @CiolosDacian @IratxeGarper pic.twitter.com/Y63BBpGfre
Yes!! MEPs (on the ENVI Committee) have chosen HEALTH over POISON and voted to #BanLead shot in wetlands! 🎉🌱🦢💧🦆💚
— WWT (@WWTworldwide) October 29, 2020
Just one final hurdle: to pass the scrutiny of all MEPs in the European Parliament and the ban will be adopted as law 🤞
Thanks to everyone for your support! pic.twitter.com/1GFnokiFuN
‼️ Final call ‼️
— WWT (@WWTworldwide) November 23, 2020
This week, @Europarl_EN has the opportunity to #BanLead shot in wetlands. 1 MILLION waterbirds die from lead poisoning every year. The science is clear. The solution is here – it’s proportionate and workable. No more delay!
More info > https://t.co/wIDh6etrhl pic.twitter.com/dbnbBfPDcS
@unep_aewa is also sharing a swan to #BanLead 🦢 in anticipation of this week’s vote on banning the use of lead shot in wetlands in the @Europarl_EN. #LeadIsPoison https://t.co/yXDfCx1j8R pic.twitter.com/uqHBkWuye6
— UNEP AEWA (@unep_aewa) November 23, 2020
#LeadisPoison for our environment. Next week #MEPs have the opportunity to ban lead with a workable proposal that benefits people, animals & nature.@EPPgroup, @TomasZdechovsky, @petrisarvamaa do the right thing: #BanLead! pic.twitter.com/IFmNMU928C
— BirdLife Europe & Central Asia (@BirdLifeEurope) November 18, 2020
It’s International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week ⚠️
— WWT (@WWTworldwide) October 28, 2020
85% of EU lead emissions is from lead shot. We urge MEPs to choose health over poison tomorrow & #BanLead shot in wetlands.
More here > https://t.co/wIDh6etrhl @Dan_Motreanu @Arlukowicz @federley @monika_benova @EwaKopacz pic.twitter.com/sKbMz6XE7P
The 446 million citizens of the EU deserve clean water, clean soils, healthy wildlife and food free of poison 💧🌱🦆
— WWT (@WWTworldwide) November 24, 2020
MEPs (tagged below) 👉 YOU can help achieve this by supporting the ban on lead shot in wetlands. The world is closely watching. #BanLead #LeadisPoison pic.twitter.com/c9l39jPEIE
#LeadisPoison seeping into our environment.
— BirdLife Europe & Central Asia (@BirdLifeEurope) November 22, 2020
The EU_Commission & @EU_ECHA have finally put forward a safe solution for Member States and hunters which protects people, wildlife & nature. @RenewEurope, @EPPGroup, @IDGroupEP & @ecrgroup it is high time to #BanLead
#LeadisPoison for our environment. Next week #MEPs have the opportunity to ban lead with a workable proposal that benefits people, animals & nature.@AlexandrVondra, @jessicapolfjard, @SardoneSilvia, @nilstorvalds, @VTrillet_Lenoir, @silviamodig do the right thing: #BanLead!
— BirdLife Europe & Central Asia (@BirdLifeEurope) November 18, 2020
Lead is toxic, it’s a poison. @EP_Environment, @eppgroup, @ecrgroup, @RenewEurope tomorrow choose health and vote for #BanLead to:
— BirdLife Europe & Central Asia (@BirdLifeEurope) October 28, 2020
✅ Protect humans’ health
🦜 Save millions of waterbirds
🌈 Restore the environment
The objection aims to delay the progress https://t.co/EhIWSEAr3t pic.twitter.com/rJo4AlhYmP
☠️ Lead shot pollutes and poisons ☠️
— WWT (@WWTworldwide) November 19, 2020
MEPs have the power to stop this toxic legacy!
RT to urge them to #BanLead shot in parliament next week 👇@ManfredWeber @CiolosDacian @IratxeGarper @ManonAubryFr @schirdewan @ph_lamberts @SkaKeller @peterliese #LeadIsPoison #GreenDeal pic.twitter.com/WQk9U4pISV
Share a swan to #BanLead 🦢💛
— WWT (@WWTworldwide) November 20, 2020
As next week's historic vote in the @Europarl_EN approaches...
Share your swan symbol to show MEPs you don’t want more birds to die from lead poisoning in Europe’s wetlands.
How it works 👇 pic.twitter.com/Fn4XfgujBO
‼️ One last step to #BanLead shot in EU wetlands ‼️
— WWT (@WWTworldwide) November 17, 2020
In October, MEPs (on the ENVI Committee) voted to support the ban. Next week it's the turn of all MEPs in the @Europarl_EN to vote. We urge them to support the ban so that it can finally become law.#LeadisPoison #EUGreenDeal pic.twitter.com/IZqV2chrzj
📢 “We urge you to support the restriction proposal & take a step closer to ‘zero-pollution’, non-toxic future”
— WWT (@WWTworldwide) October 27, 2020
Experts call on MEPs to #BanLead shot in wetlands 👇@EP_Environment @pcanfin @jessicapolfjard @AlexandrVondra @NilsTorvalds @peterliese @JytteGuteland @SardoneSilvia pic.twitter.com/wJr7mT4k8v
Over 20 million waterbirds are estimated to have died of lead poisoning in the EU since AEWA came into force in 1999.
— UNEP AEWA (@unep_aewa) October 27, 2020
We encourage MEPs in the ENVI Committee to put a stop to this by supporting the restriction to ban the use of lead shot in wetlands under REACH. #banlead pic.twitter.com/gO15Jvln9h
The EU signed up to #BanLead in Ramsar wetlands 20 years ago, what happened? Each year, 1 million+ waterbirds die from lead shot pollution.@EP_Environment, nature counts on you to #BanLead. It's long overdue. Ignore the lobbyist’s convoluted arguments – it's simple; lead=poison pic.twitter.com/yUe1dyagtr
— BirdLife Europe & Central Asia (@BirdLifeEurope) October 26, 2020
Lead is poison ☠️
— BirdLife Europe & Central Asia (@BirdLifeEurope) October 24, 2020
It's banned in petrol & paint, so why allow it to pollute our environment? @ManfredWeber, the natural world is counting on you to do the right thing: #BanLead shot in Ramsar-defined wetlands. Ignore the lobbyist’s convoluted arguments – it's simple; lead=poison
"1m waterbirds are still dying of lead poisoning each year"
— WWT (@WWTworldwide) October 23, 2020
MEPs ➡️ please listen to @unep_aewa's Jacques Trouvilliez
Everyone ➡️ RT to urge @EP_Environment @pcanfin @jessicapolfjard @NilsTorvalds @peterliese @JytteGuteland @silviamodig to stop these needless deaths #BanLead pic.twitter.com/RmjtxgIOxu
As the process to #BanLead risks being derailed at the final stage, we're urging all MEPs to choose health, not poison ⚠️
— WWT (@WWTworldwide) October 22, 2020
MEPs @pcanfin @peterliese @JytteGuteland @NilsTorvalds @VTrillet_Lenoir @silviamodig @SardoneSilvia @AlexandrVondra will you be on the RIGHT side of history? pic.twitter.com/T1YEfVpCF4
The European Parliament is one step away from consigning lead shot in wetlands to history 🤞 Thanks to all MEPs who will choose a healthier future for people, wildlife and wetlands! We urge all MEPs to do the same; listen to the swans 🔊 #BanLead #EUGreenDeal pic.twitter.com/lyFGAs2Eik
— WWT (@WWTworldwide) October 20, 2020
In September, an EU Committee voted to #BanLead shot in wetlands. This was a major win 🎉
— WWT (@WWTworldwide) October 14, 2020
The final step is for the ban to become law across the EU.
With no further objections, the European Parliament will adopt this new law in November.
👉 RT to urge MEPs to support the ban pic.twitter.com/60JwHMrDqz