The ban of lead on outdoor ranges is coming

Who are we?

We are LEX – Association for protection of firearms rights. For more than 20 years we work on civilian firearms legislation. We participate on legislative proposals on national and international level.

What's the problem?

European commission is preparing another wave of restrictions on lead ammunition. Among others, there's also proposal to ban use of lead-based bullets on outdoor ranges. The proposal is currently in preparation phase within European Chemical Agency (ECHA). Next phase is negotiations among stakeholders and national representatives in ECHA.

Link to information about proposal:

https://echa.europa.eu/cs/-/towards-sustainable-outdoor-shooting-and-fishing-echa-proposes-restrictions-on-lead-use

Ban on use of lead bullets on outdoor ranges can result in serious limitations on shooting sports, especially for dynamic disciplines like IPSC, which depend largely on outdoor ranges.

In the meantime, the fight in Europe against the ECHA’s Annex XV Restriction Report continues. The process is currently in the public consultation phase, with many WFSA European organizations submitting their contributions and carryout out several communications activities. The European Shooting Sports Forum (ESSF), which includes many WFSA members, has recently published this article on Euractiv. The article, which is currently being translated into other languages, highlights the main methodological flaws of the ECHA’s Environment and Human Health risk assessments included in its proposal to restrict the use and place on the market of lead ammunition in terrestrial habitats in the EU. More articles will follow in the coming months, focusing on further features of the ECHA proposal

Also our WFSA member, the Finnish Shooting Sport Federation (FSSF), in cooperation with the Finnish Hunters Association and the Finnish Wildlife Agency as well as few other organizations, has published this video to clarify to ECHA the different shooting sport disciplines, the different kinds of shooting ranges as well as several lead management methods and techniques and explain why their proposal is impossible.

What can you do?

Call on your shooting clubs, your national govenments and your Members of European Parliament and ask them for active and unified approach to this matter.

You and your organization can comment on the public consultation at the following link:

https://echa.europa.eu/restrictions-under-consideration/-/substance-rev/27801/term

National shooting associations may contact the WFSA or FACE and coordinate with them.