BirdLife has launched an international campaign urging the EU to ban lead in hunting, sport shooting, and fishing due to its toxic effects.

“Lead ammunition and fishing weights must no longer pose a risk to European citizens, the environment, and wildlife,” the petition states.

Lucas Micallef, president of the Federation for Hunting and Conservation – Malta (FKNK), dismissed the campaign as a political move against hunting.

He argued that 90% of lead ammunition is produced for military use, which would continue unaffected, while hunters lack viable alternatives for small and medium-sized bird hunting in the Mediterranean.

On the opposite side, BirdLife Malta’s Mark Sultana refuted FKNK’s claims, insisting the campaign is about health and safety, not anti-hunting policies.

While lead has already been banned in petrol, paint, and pipes due to its severe health risks, no such ban exists for hunting and fishing.

According to BirdLife Malta, over 44,000 tonnes of lead are still released into the EU environment annually from these activities. Lead contamination has already had devastating effects.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says, lead exposure contributed to over 1.5 million deaths globally in 2021, mainly due to cardiovascular complications. Lead is found in mining, smelting, manufacturing, and various consumer products, including batteries, paint, stained glass, and ammunition.

Lead can harm people through the ingestion, contaminated dust, soil, water, or food, or by inhaling fumes from burning materials that contain lead. Once inside the body, lead accumulates in the brain, liver, kidneys, bones, and teeth, causing long-term health damage.

BirdLife’s campaign emphasises that banning lead in hunting and fishing is vital for safeguarding public health and wildlife throughout Europe.

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