Wildlife charities are urging the government to ban the sale and use of lead in ammunition for outdoor shooting.

In an open letter to Environment Secretary Steve Reed, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), RSPB, Wildlife and Countryside Link, Chem Trust, and Wild Justice have called for an 18-month transition period before implementing the ban.

The charities warn that birds often ingest discarded lead pellets, mistaking them for seeds or grit. This leads to lead poisoning, contaminates food chains, and can even reach human dinner tables. A voluntary 2020 agreement to phase out lead shot has proven ineffective, with 99.5% of birds shot in 2022 still containing toxic lead.

While the EU has already banned lead ammunition in wetlands, its European Chemicals Agency has proposed extending the ban to all environments. However, the UK has diverged from EU environmental policies since Brexit, raising concerns about lagging protections.

WWT estimates that lead poisoning kills up to 100,000 waterbirds each winter in the UK. In December 2024, the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) released recommendations on lead ammunition, including banning lead shot in both quarry and target shooting. Environmental groups stress that urgent action is needed to protect wildlife and public health.

Dr Julia Newth, an expert on the impact of lead on birds at WWT, said: “Lead blasted into the environment through shooting is poisoning our wildlife and wetlands. It contaminates our food chain and pollutes our soil for generations to come.

“Steve Reed has a unique opportunity to end the poisoning of tens of thousands of animals every year with the stroke of a pen by bringing in a full and swift ban on the sale and use of lead ammunition.”

Lord Browne of Ladyton, one of the signatories, said a ban on lead ammunition was “not merely desirable, but essential, if we are to protect the health of people, wildlife and pets. This is a real opportunity for the government to show leadership by ending years of delay and indecision.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “This government supports shooting that is sustainable and conducted in full accordance with the law. The use of lead shot in England is already prohibited in specific circumstances, including some sites of special scientific interest, like wetlands. We have received the Health and Safety Executive’s final opinion on further restrictions on lead in ammunition and are assessing the proposals before making a final decision in due course.”