2025 European Scientists’ Open Letter on the Risks of Lead Ammunition
A copy of the European and other concerned global scientists’ Open Letter on the Risks of Lead Ammunition published in November 2025 can be found below.
Alternatively, you can download a PDF copy.
An Open Letter from Global Scientists on the Restriction on the placing on the market and use of lead in outdoor shooting and fishing proposed by ECHA under REACH Regulations
November 2025
Dear Madam or Sir,
We, the undersigned European and other concerned global scientists are a group of 102 professionals from 15 European countries (12 EU Member States) and 7 countries beyond Europe across 6 continents. We work in various relevant disciplines and include scientists and related professionals with expertise in this issue who are biologists, toxicologists, medics, human health specialists, veterinarians, social scientists, conservationists and hunters. We have expertise in quantifying the risks from the toxic effects of lead ammunition to human, wildlife or domestic animal health, and the effectiveness of measures to mitigate them.
We recognise collectively that only the replacement of lead ammunition with non-toxic alternatives will effectively control the avoidable risks it poses to human and animal health. We wish to see robust regulation enacted in the European Union on the sale and use of lead in outdoor shooting and fishing under REACH Regulations.1
In the two years since our previous open letter2, evidence on the health risks and poisoning caused by lead ammunition has continued to accumulate and is reviewed here. We are writing to express our concern about the continuing risks posed by lead ammunition use and to highlight this recent evidence. Collectively, we:
- Recognise that the scientific evidence on the harms caused by the toxicity of lead ammunition spans over a century and that in recent decades the number of scientific publications documenting the scale and range of risks it poses to human, animal and environmental health and the mechanisms underlying them has grown substantially and that there is a broad scientific consensus on the issue.3
- Note with concern that within the last two years, since publication of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) Opinion on an Annex XV dossier proposing restrictions on Lead and its compounds in 2022, scientific studies have found that:
a) under one scenario, exposure to dietary lead by frequent human consumers of meat from wild game was estimated by the European Food Safety Authority to be up to six-fold higher than that of the total population
b) there is additional evidence of health impacts associated with low (including the lowest measurable) blood lead concentrations in people, particularly children
c) there is further evidence of an association between increased blood lead levels and civilian firearm use
d) the mass of tiny (<0.1 mm) lead fragments in game shot with lead ammunition can be of potential health concern even in the absence of fragments sufficiently large to be detectable by medical X-radiography, thus limiting the effectiveness of medical X-radiography for screening game meat for ammunition-derived lead contamination
e) the risks from lead ammunition use by remote indigenous communities have been further highlighted in a study linking elevated blood lead levels to lead from ammunition and water
f) some pet foods containing game meat shot with lead ammunition can contain exceptionally high levels of lead, posing risks to dogs, and likely to other companion animals
g) new cases of lead poisoning associated with exposure to lead ammunition continue to be reported for livestock and captive mammals
h) risks have been identified for a wider range of wildlife than previously recognised
i) risks exist for most groups of raptors globally and are particularly high for scavenging species in Europe, including globally threatened species and species on Annex 1 of the Birds Directive
j) the number of identified sublethal effects associated with of low-level lead exposure in animals continues to increase
k) risks from legacy (previously deposited) lead shot persist highlighting the importance of reducing its use as soon as possible, and implementing additional mitigation measures in high-risk areas. - Appreciate that a resolution to the problem has been highlighted by the United Nations Environment Assembly and other resolutions of Multilateral Environmental Agreements with a recent call from the WHO at its 78th World Health Assembly to Galvanise Global Support for a Lead-Free Future.4
- Recognise that numerous voluntary and partial legislative initiatives have been undertaken to reduce health risks to wildlife, people and the environment from ammunition-derived lead, but that most have met with limited success.
- Welcome the legislation adopted in Denmark in 2024 to ban the use of lead bullets5 (in addition to a total lead shot ban in 1996), and the decision of the United Kingdom to ban most uses of lead ammunition in their parallel UK REACH process.
- Applaud the European Commission’s initiative and the substantial body of work, including extensive stakeholder consultations, undertaken by ECHA to produce their Opinion on an Annex XV dossier proposing Restrictions on Lead in Outdoor Shooting and Fishing.
- Welcome the publication in February 2025 by the European Commission of a Draft Commission6 Regulation (the “proposed regulation”) concerning restriction of lead in ammunition and fishing tackle under EU REACH.
- Applaud the European Commission’s positive response to the SEAC7 recommendation that the text of the restriction entry explicitly includes a ban on the ‘carrying’ of lead ammunition in the field, in line with the existing restriction on lead gunshot in wetlands.
- Acknowledge that the current sports shooting rules are exposing sports shooters, other people and the wider environment to risks from lead exposure that are likely to hinder the delivery of benefits from a health-protective restriction.
- Appreciate that military, law enforcement and other security applications are out of scope of the restriction, and that appropriate measures have been taken by the European Commission to ensure that the proposed regulation will not hinder defence efforts as recognised by SEAC6, while welcoming the derogation permitting the training of military reservists.
- Recognise the proposed regulation as an important step towards meeting the European Commission’s zero pollution ambition under the European Green Deal, and its contribution to the pollution reduction commitment under Target 7 (2030) of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, with positive ramifications for people and wildlife globally.
- Appreciate the international obligations and responsibilities to phase out the use of lead ammunition in all habitats as highlighted in adopted resolutions under the Convention on Migratory Species and International Union for the Conservation of Nature and further recognise that certain derogations for sports shooting in the proposed regulation will complicate, and could impede, its enforcement.
We therefore,
- Urge EU Member States, the REACH Committee, European Parliament and European Council to support the proposed regulation in full on the use and placing on the market of lead in outdoor shooting and fishing to protect the health of people, wildlife and the environment, with no weakening of the proposal.
- Encourage the European Commission to respond to RAC’s6 recommendations/strong recommendations, specifically that:
a) RAC6 recommends to the European Commission that a further analysis of the feasibility for organisations such as the International Olympics Committee, FITASC (Fédération Internationale de Tir aux Armes Sportives de Chasse) and ISSF (International Sports Shooting Federation) to change their requirements regarding the use of lead gunshot in international competitions is needed.
b) RAC6 strongly recommends setting a regulatory maximum level for lead in game meat, similar to the maximum levels of lead for meat other than game meat already defined by Commission Regulation (EC) 1881/2006 [replaced by Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915]. - Urge the International Olympics Committee (IOC), FITASC and ISSF to require the use of non-lead ammunition for Olympic shooting disciplines to reduce lead exposure to athletes and the environment and to align with the IOC’s strategic intent of ensuring that the Olympic Games are at the forefront of sustainability.
Yours faithfully,
Professor Vet. Silvia Alzuagaray
Professor, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Campus Universitario, Paraje Arroyo Seco s/n, Tandil (7000), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Dr Stefania Ancora, PhD
Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, via P.A. Mattioli, 4 - 53100, Siena, Italy.
Dr Oddgeir Andersen, PhD
Senior Researcher, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Vormstuvegen 40, 2624
Lillehammer, Norway.
Alessandro Andreotti, MS
Senior Researcher, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Bird Migration Branch, Via Ca’ Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell’Emilia (BO), Italy.
Professor Jon M. Arnemo, DVM, PhD
Professor & Wildlife Veterinarian, University of Inland Norway, Campus Evenstad, NO-2480 Koppang, Norway.
Enrico Bassi, MSc
Wildlife scientific consultant, National Coordinator for Italy of Golden Eagle Conservation International (GECI), Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF) Advisory Board Member, Chair of the Italiano Studi Ornitologici (CISO). Bergamo, Italy.
Nicola Bates BSc (Brunel), BSc (Open), MSc, MA, SRCS
Senior Information Scientist/VPIS Research Lead, Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS), Godfree Court, 29-35 Long Lane, London, SE1 4PL, UK.
Professor Val Beasley, DVM, PhD, Diplomate, American Board of Veterinary Toxicology,
Professor Emeritus of Veterinary, Wildlife, & Ecological Toxicology, Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 198 Blackberry Hill, Port Matilda, PA 16870, USA.
Dr Arnaud Béchet
Director of Research, Tour du Valat, Institut de recherche pour la conservation des zones humides méditerranéennes, Le Sambuc, 13200 Arles, France.
Professor Fiammetta Berlinguer, DMV, PhD
Full Professor, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
Dr. Raphaël Billé, PhD
Deputy Director General – Programme, Tour du Valat, Institut de recherche pour la conservation des zones humides méditerranéennes, Le Sambuc, 13200 Arles, France.
Professor Łukasz J. Binkowski, PhD
Institute of Biology and Earth Sciences, University of the National Education Commission, Krakow, 30-084, Podchorążych 2, Poland.
Professor Karyn Bischoff, DVM, MS, MPH, Diplomate, American Board of Veterinary Toxicology, Professor, University of California, Davis, John E Thurman Jr, Lab, 620 W Health Sciences Drive, Davis CA 95617 Cornell University Emerita, USA.
Associate Professor Andrea Bonisoli-Alquati, PhD
Department of Biological Sciences, California State Polytechnic University – Pomona, Pomona, CA, 91768 USA.
Dr. Fabrizio Borghesi, PhD
Ornithologist and Environmental Expert, Italy.
Dr Anastasios Bounas, PhD
Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, University of Ioannina, 45110, Ioannina, Greece.
Professor Asa Bradman, PhD, MS
Professor, Department of Public Health, Professor, Environmental Systems Graduate Group,
University of California, Merced, USA.
Associate Professor Scott Michael Brainerd, PhD
Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Anne Evenstadsvegen 80, NO-2480 Koppang, Norway.
Anne-Fleur Brand, DVM, MSc (Toxicology & Environmental Health), MRCVS
PhD Candidate, Department of Biology, Norwegian University for Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, 7491, Trondheim, Norway.
Professor Andrea Caselli, DMV
Director, Community-based Territory Conservation Program (PCCT), Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, National University of the Center of the Province of Buenos Aires, University Campus, 7000 Tandil, Argentina.
Dr Ruth Cromie, PhD, OBE
Research Fellow, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), Slimbridge, Glos. GL2 7BT, UK.
Sandra Cuadros, MSc.
Researcher at University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, V1X 2K8 Canada.
Professor José Antonio Donázar, PhD
Research Professor, Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC; Avenida de Americo Vespucio s/n, Isla de la Cartuja, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain.
Associate Professor Ane Eriksen, PhD
Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Inland Norway, Anne Evenstad vei 80, 2480 Koppang, Norway.
Dr. William Faber, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Natural Resources Program Lead, Department of Natural Resources, Central Lakes College, W. College Dr., Brainerd, MN, USA.
Professor Jerzy Falandysz, PhD, DSc
Professor in the Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
Dr Giorgio Fedrizzi
Laboratorio nazionale di riferimento per le Tossine vegetali naturali negli alimenti (LNR-TVN), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Reparto Chimico degli Alimenti – Bologna, via P. Fiorini, 5, 40127 – Bologna, Italy.
Valentina Fernández, DVM
PhD Candidate, Community-based Territory Conservation Program (PCCT), Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, National University of the Center of the Province of Buenos Aires, University Campus, 7000 Tandil, Argentina.
Dr. Maurizio Ferraresi, DMV
Former Official Veterinarian, Modena's Veterinary Office of the National Health Agency. Retired. Via Pietro Giannone n 37, 41031 Camposanto MO, Italy.
Professor Miguel Ferrer, FRSE
Research Professor, EBD-CSIC, Sevilla, Spain.
Dr. Mauro Ferri, DMV
Former Official Veterinarian, Modena's Veterinary Office of the National Health Agency. Retired. Via San Remo 140, 41125 Modena MO, Italy.
Adjunct Professor Myra Finkelstein, PhD
Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department , University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.
Professor Anthony Fox, DSc, PhD
Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, C.F. Møllers Allé 8, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
Dr Laura Gangoso, PhD
Tenured Scientist, Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, C/Américo Vespucio 26, 41092, Seville, Spain.
Professor Antonio J. García-Fernández, DVM, PhD
Toxicology and Risk Assessment Group, "Pascual Parrilla" Murcia Biomedicine Research Institute, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
Professor Brett Gartrell
Group Leader, Wildbase, Tawharau Ora, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Dr. AntonIo Gelati, DMV
Former Official Veterinarian, Modena's Veterinary Office of the National Health Agency. Retired. Via Statale 83, 41036 Medolla MO, Italy.
Dr. Huw Golledge, PhD
Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Director, Universities Federation for Animal Welfare
The Old School, Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, AL4 8AN, UK.
Professor Andy J. Green, DPhil
Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), C/ Américo Vespucio, 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
Professor Rhys E Green, PhD
Emeritus Honorary Professor of Conservation Science, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK.
Dr Carl Gremse
Herzhorner Weg 2, 15345 Prötzel OT Prädikow, Germany.
Dr Jordan Hampton, BSc, BVMS, PhD
Senior Lecturer, School of Veterinary Medicine and Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
Dr Catherine Hauw, DVM, MRCVS, MSc Wild Animal Health
Veterinary surgeon, c/o Royal Veterinary College, UK, 6 Rue du Collège de l’Arc, 39100 Dole, France.
Dr Björn Helander, PhD
Emeritus, Department of Population Analysis and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden.
Professor Dr. Fernando Hiraldo
Research profesor ad honorem, CSIC- Doñana Biological Station, Spain.
Dr Ingrid Hokstad, PhD
Senior Consultant, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Lillehammer, Norway.
Adjunct Professor Dr David E Jacobs PhD
Adjunct Professor, School of Public Health, University of Illinois, Chicago, USA.
Professor Veerle L. B. Jaspers, PhD
Full Professor, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, Trondheim, 7491, Norway.
Professor Dr. Lukas Jenni
Professor Emeritus, University of Zurich and Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, 6204 Sempach, Switzerland.
Dr Evie Jones, PhD
Wildlife Biologist, Nisg̱a'a Fisheries and Wildlife Department, Nisg̱a'a Lisims Government, Gitlax̱t'aamiks, V0J 1A0, Canada.
Dr Niels Kanstrup, MSc, DSc
Special Consultant, Wildlife Biologist, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
Dr Ignacy Kitowski, DPhil
Associate professor, University College of Applied Sciences in Chełm, Pocztowa
54, 22-100 Chełm, Poland.
Jeff Knott
Former Lead Ammunition Group Member, UK.
Michael J. Kosnett, MD, MPH, FACMT
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, USA.
Professor Lord Krebs, Kt FRS, FMedSci, ML
Emeritus Professor, Dept of Biology, Life and Mind Building, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3EL, UK.
PD Dr. med. vet. Oliver Krone
Senior scientist, Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany.
Professor Bruce Lanphear, MD, MPH
Professor of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 3E5 Canada.
Dr Maja Lazarus, PhD
Scientific Adviser, Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10001 Zagreb, Croatia.
Ronnie Levin
Instructor, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Dr Chris Lloyd Mills, PhD
Senior Lecturer, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham NG11 8NS, UK.
Professor Jesper Madsen, D.Sc.
Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
Dr. Antoni Margalida
Senior Research Scientist. Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (CSIC). Avda. Nuestra Señora de la Victoria 16. 22700 Jaca, Spain.
Professor Rafael Mateo, DVM
Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), CSIC, Barcelona, Spain.
Dr. Patricia Mateo-Tomás, PhD
Tenured Scientist, Biodiversity Research Institute (CSIC - University of Oviedo - Principality of Asturias), Mieres, Spain.
Professor Andrew McKechnie, PhD
Professor, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Lynnwood Road, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.
Emeritus Professor Andrew Alexander Meharg, MRIA, FRSE
School of Biological Sciences. Queen’s University Belfast, 17 Chlorine Gardens, BT9 5HL, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Erica A. Miller, DVM
Senior Research Investigator, Wildlife Futures Program, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, PA 19384, USA.
Professor Stein R. Moe, PhD
Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, NO-1432 Aas, Norway.
Dr Laura Monclús, PhD
Researcher and Consultant, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, Trondheim, Norway. Guest academic, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Dr Paola Movalli, PhD
Pharmacist, PhD Food & Environmental Toxicology; Senior Scientist, Environmental Institute s.r.o., Okružná 784/42, 972 41 Koš, Slovak Republic Fellow, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands.
Professor Vinny Naidoo, BMVCh, MSc(Vet), PhD.
Dean: Faculty of Veterinary Science, Room 6-6, Theiler Building, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa.
Dr. Isabel Navas, DVM, PhD
Department of Health Sciences, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
Dr. Julia Newth, PhD
Ecosystem Health & Social Dimensions Manager, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), Slimbridge, Glos. GL2 7BT, UK.
Professor Ian Newton, OBE, FRS, FRSE
Emeritus Fellow, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxon OX10 8BB, UK.
Professor Deborah Pain, DPhil
Visitor, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK; Honorary Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK.
Associate Professor Peter Paulsen
University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
Dr James Pay, PhD
Research Fellow, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Professor Christopher M. Perrins, LVO, FRS
Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK.
Dr Nikolai Petkov
Project manager, Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds, PO BOx 50, BG-1111 Sofia, Bulgaria. Co-chair and coordinator for Europe of IUCN Threatened Waterfowl Specialist Group.
Associate Professor Emeritus Mark A. Pokras, DVM
Wildlife Clinic & Center for Conservation Medicine, Tufts University, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, N. Grafton, MA, 01536, USA.
Professor Robert H. Poppenga, DVM, PhD, DABVT
Professor of Veterinary and Diagnostic Toxicology, Emeritus, California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Dr Jannikke Räikkönen, PhD
Department of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden.
Professor Patrick T. Redig, DVM, PhD
Professor Emeritus, Avian Medicine & Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine & The Raptor Center, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
Dr Tony Sainsbury, BVetMed, MRCVS, CertZooMed, DVetMed, DipECZM (Wildlife Population Health), PGCAP, FHEA
Wild Animal Health, Norwich, UK.
Dr. Keisuke Saito
President, Institute for Raptor Biomedicine Japan, Visiting Professor, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Kushiro Shitsugen Wildlife Center, 2-2101 Hokuto, Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan.
Dr Martin Santiago, PhD
Researcher, Arroyo Seco Physics Institute, Pinto 399, Tandil 7000, Argentina.
Dr Andrea Sartorius, PhD
Research Fellow, School of Geography, University of Nottingham, Sir Clive Granger Building, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
Professor Emeritus Hans Martin Seip
Dept. of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Postboks 1033 Blindern, 0315 Oslo, Norway.
Alick Simmons, BVMS, MSc
Independent Researcher and former UK Government Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer
Ilminster, Somerset, UK.
Dr Hanneline Smit-Robinson, PhD
Head of Conservation, BirdLife South Africa, 17 Hume Road, Dunkeld West 2196, South Africa.
Professor Christian Sonne, PhD, DScVetMed, Dipl. ECZM-EBVS
Aarhus University, Dpt. of Ecoscience, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
Professor Christopher J Spray, MBE, PhD, FCIEEM
Emeritus Professor of Water Science and Policy, UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Policy & Science, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 4HN, Scotland, UK.
David A. Stroud, MBE
Emeritus Senior Adviser, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Fletton Quays, Peterborough PE2 8YY, UK.
Dr Mark Taggart, PhD
Associate Senior Research Fellow, UHI Environmental Research Institute, Thurso, Caithness, KW14 7JD, UK.
Dr Agostina Tammone, PhD
Professor, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Campus Universitario, Paraje Arroyo Seco s/n, Tandil (7000), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Dr Caroline Taylor, PhD
Associate Professor, Centre for Academic Child Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK.
Professor Emeritus Vernon G. Thomas
Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.
Dr Marcela Uhart, DVM
Director Latin America Program, Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA. Co-chair Wildlife Health Specialist Group, International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Docente Maestria Una Salud, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Dr Antonio Uzal
Associate Professor of Conservation Biology. School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences. Nottingham Trent University, Brackenhurst Campus, Southwell, NG25 0QF, UK.
Dr Linda van den Heever, PhD
Species Conservation Programme Manager, BirdLife South Africa, 17 Hume Road, Dunkeld West 2196, South Africa.
Dr Ralph Eric Thijl Vanstreels, DVM, PhD
Project Scientist, One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California - Davis, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, 9120, Argentina.
Dr Stefano Volponi, PhD
Senior researcher, Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Rome, Italy.
[1] REACH is a European Union regulation concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & restriction of Chemicals.
[3] A Consensus Statement of Scientists 2013; Scientific Consensus Statement 2014
[4] WHO (2025) Resolution WHA78.27
[5] Excluding rimfire calibres
[6] The European Commission’s response to ECHA’s proposal for restriction on the placing on the market and use of lead in outdoor shooting and fishing was initially made available in February 2025 as Draft Implementing Act D105447 as regards lead in ammunition and fishing tackle. As of late November 2025 this document is restricted to lead ammunition (“Draft Implementing Act D105447/03, Commission Regulation (EU) …/… of XXX amending Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as regards lead in ammunition”).
[7] SEAC (the Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis) and RAC (the Committee for Risk Assessment) provide expert opinions and advice to the European Commission on the hazards and risks of chemicals, and the societal impacts of regulatory measures.